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Too Much Information: Understanding What You Don't Want to Know
How much information is too much? Do we need to know how many calories are in the giant vat of popcorn that we bought on our way into the movie theater? Do we want to know if we are genetically predisposed to a certain disease? In Too Much Information, Cass Sunstein examines the effects of information on our lives. Sunstein argues that government should require companies, employers, hospitals, and others to disclose information not because of a general "right to know" but when the information in question would significantly improve people's lives.
264 pages, Hardcover
Published September 1, 2020
87 people are currently reading
735 people want to read
About the author
Cass R. Sunstein
167 books734 followersCass R. Sunstein is an American legal scholar, particularly in the fields of constitutional law, administrative law, environmental law, and law and behavioral economics, who currently is the Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in the Obama administration. For 27 years, Sunstein taught at the University of Chicago Law School, where he continues to teach as the Harry Kalven Visiting Professor. Sunstein is currently Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, where he is on leave while working in the Obama administration.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
June 18, 2020
Is there too much information out there? Is too much information demanded of us? These are the two pivotal questions Cass Sunstein treats in Too Much Information. He’s a good one to ask them, because President Barack Obama placed him where he could see and recommend changes in the way the government deals with the public. Nothing has changed, however. It is bad and getting worse.
It is not easy to slash and burn here. There are impossible paradoxes to consider before simply saying there is too much of both. One example Sunstein gives is the Health Department asking for so much information from patients it could be discouraging women from getting abortions. For many, this is a travesty. For just as many, this is a blessing. It is the patient, naturally, who loses.
The government does ask for a lot. So much so it can be confusing when not impossible to comply. Loans are not made, people are distressed, and progress is held up. Sunstein shows that the federal government forces the public to consume nearly 10 billion hours a year filling out its forms. To no one’s great shock, the IRS leads by a mile of totally unproductive time consumed.
The Paperwork Reduction Act and the office charged with reducing paperwork are, if I may, paper tigers. They have no way to force or enforce. There is no mechanism whereby a citizen can sue over the abusive and excessive demand for data . Sunstein says “Administrative burden can impose excessive costs (north of $200 billion), frustrate enjoyment of rights, and prevent access to important benefits of multiple sorts. The $200 billion figure greatly understates the actual impact, economic and psychological.” Is information overload worth $200 billion? (Is it crazy to bother trying to put a figure on it?)
Do government and healthcare need all that data? Do they make any use of it at all? Can’t they prepopulate forms since they already have so much of this data, several times over? Sadly, these are questions for the ages, not for immediate action.
On the other side of the coin is the flood of data everyone deals with daily. It has changed the way we live (Facebook, Twitter…). And made it more complicated to get through a day. Everything comes with terms of use, terms and conditions and privacy statements. From the coffee pot to the car and everything on the internet. There isn’t enough time in a day to read them, let alone digest them or make decisions based on them. Just because a company has a privacy statement on its website does not mean it shields users’ privacy. It might very well admit to selling all the data on users to all comers, repeatedly. Customers can’t know unless they read the policy. And when a simple search leads to an answer on a web page, the very last thing anyone does is stop to consider the privacy policy before reading. It’s a bizarre system.
Sunstein cites numerous studies showing, among other things, how unhappy services like Facebook make users feel. He asked study participants how much they would pay for the service if they had to, and also how much money they would accept to drop it completely. It is well known that people value what they have far more than what they would pay if they had to, so the book doesn’t lend itself to any sort of insight or direction on this issue. All it shows is the lengths Sunstein goes to in examining his topic. Too much information doesn’t clear the air.
Then there’s information that is useless precisely because it is offered. If a financial advisor admits to a conflict of interest, he is suddenly free to advise a client on his admittedly biased choices. This is called moral licensing. It empowers the dishonest and puts the customer in a hole. This is too much information because the advisor should not even be allowed in the room. Empowering him like this is (or should be) criminal. But in our system, the confession is off his chest and it’s now the customer’s problem.
There is a lot of information no one asked for, like the number of calories per plate on a restaurant menu. He calls this “ruining the popcorn,” as in: what if there were printed warnings about how fattening cinema popcorn slathered in chemical butter really is.
On the other hand, this is precisely the kind of nudging Sunstein has backed in previous books. The way to get people to change their behavior without them feeling they’ve been denied a choice. Let them opt out rather than be aggravated trying to subscribe for example. Show them the calorie counts and maybe they’ll look farther down the list.
Another nudge would be to list companies by their privacy scores from most private to least, rather than looking at a list of companies and trying to determine who is better than whom. We can definitely nudge our way to making information actually useful instead of just more.
In ruining the popcorn, Sunstein brings up the issue of hedonic choice. People make choices for pleasure, and denying them their pleasure can be an infringement of their rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But then, what to do about an ex-Marine who is used to killing people at will? That sort of thing is frowned upon back home, which leads to a lot of anger, frustration and unrequited hate. Yet that is basically the argument of smokers or anti-abortionists, who demand their choice be imposed on everyone, despite all the information, evidence and opinion to the contrary. Personal freedoms and information often don’t work well together. Hedonics can really the muddy the waters of information glut.
There is also a cost to all these laws, notices, policies and so on. Billions. Restaurants need to calculate calorie counts, for example, and revise them with changes in recipes or items or weights. So Sunstein asks the fairly ridiculous question: how much would you pay to have warnings put on cigarette packs and wine bottles? Because in a real sense, you are paying anyway. How much better off would society and consumers be without those hidden costs? Or without those informational notices at all? There’s lots of food for thought in Too Much Information.
Sunstein‘s writing walks the talk. He is economical, direct and very easy to read. The book moves quickly and covers a lot of ground. Unfortunately, it doesn’t provide any solace. Life always gets more complicated, never less. This is where we are today. Deal with it.
David Wineberg
It is not easy to slash and burn here. There are impossible paradoxes to consider before simply saying there is too much of both. One example Sunstein gives is the Health Department asking for so much information from patients it could be discouraging women from getting abortions. For many, this is a travesty. For just as many, this is a blessing. It is the patient, naturally, who loses.
The government does ask for a lot. So much so it can be confusing when not impossible to comply. Loans are not made, people are distressed, and progress is held up. Sunstein shows that the federal government forces the public to consume nearly 10 billion hours a year filling out its forms. To no one’s great shock, the IRS leads by a mile of totally unproductive time consumed.
The Paperwork Reduction Act and the office charged with reducing paperwork are, if I may, paper tigers. They have no way to force or enforce. There is no mechanism whereby a citizen can sue over the abusive and excessive demand for data . Sunstein says “Administrative burden can impose excessive costs (north of $200 billion), frustrate enjoyment of rights, and prevent access to important benefits of multiple sorts. The $200 billion figure greatly understates the actual impact, economic and psychological.” Is information overload worth $200 billion? (Is it crazy to bother trying to put a figure on it?)
Do government and healthcare need all that data? Do they make any use of it at all? Can’t they prepopulate forms since they already have so much of this data, several times over? Sadly, these are questions for the ages, not for immediate action.
On the other side of the coin is the flood of data everyone deals with daily. It has changed the way we live (Facebook, Twitter…). And made it more complicated to get through a day. Everything comes with terms of use, terms and conditions and privacy statements. From the coffee pot to the car and everything on the internet. There isn’t enough time in a day to read them, let alone digest them or make decisions based on them. Just because a company has a privacy statement on its website does not mean it shields users’ privacy. It might very well admit to selling all the data on users to all comers, repeatedly. Customers can’t know unless they read the policy. And when a simple search leads to an answer on a web page, the very last thing anyone does is stop to consider the privacy policy before reading. It’s a bizarre system.
Sunstein cites numerous studies showing, among other things, how unhappy services like Facebook make users feel. He asked study participants how much they would pay for the service if they had to, and also how much money they would accept to drop it completely. It is well known that people value what they have far more than what they would pay if they had to, so the book doesn’t lend itself to any sort of insight or direction on this issue. All it shows is the lengths Sunstein goes to in examining his topic. Too much information doesn’t clear the air.
Then there’s information that is useless precisely because it is offered. If a financial advisor admits to a conflict of interest, he is suddenly free to advise a client on his admittedly biased choices. This is called moral licensing. It empowers the dishonest and puts the customer in a hole. This is too much information because the advisor should not even be allowed in the room. Empowering him like this is (or should be) criminal. But in our system, the confession is off his chest and it’s now the customer’s problem.
There is a lot of information no one asked for, like the number of calories per plate on a restaurant menu. He calls this “ruining the popcorn,” as in: what if there were printed warnings about how fattening cinema popcorn slathered in chemical butter really is.
On the other hand, this is precisely the kind of nudging Sunstein has backed in previous books. The way to get people to change their behavior without them feeling they’ve been denied a choice. Let them opt out rather than be aggravated trying to subscribe for example. Show them the calorie counts and maybe they’ll look farther down the list.
Another nudge would be to list companies by their privacy scores from most private to least, rather than looking at a list of companies and trying to determine who is better than whom. We can definitely nudge our way to making information actually useful instead of just more.
In ruining the popcorn, Sunstein brings up the issue of hedonic choice. People make choices for pleasure, and denying them their pleasure can be an infringement of their rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But then, what to do about an ex-Marine who is used to killing people at will? That sort of thing is frowned upon back home, which leads to a lot of anger, frustration and unrequited hate. Yet that is basically the argument of smokers or anti-abortionists, who demand their choice be imposed on everyone, despite all the information, evidence and opinion to the contrary. Personal freedoms and information often don’t work well together. Hedonics can really the muddy the waters of information glut.
There is also a cost to all these laws, notices, policies and so on. Billions. Restaurants need to calculate calorie counts, for example, and revise them with changes in recipes or items or weights. So Sunstein asks the fairly ridiculous question: how much would you pay to have warnings put on cigarette packs and wine bottles? Because in a real sense, you are paying anyway. How much better off would society and consumers be without those hidden costs? Or without those informational notices at all? There’s lots of food for thought in Too Much Information.
Sunstein‘s writing walks the talk. He is economical, direct and very easy to read. The book moves quickly and covers a lot of ground. Unfortunately, it doesn’t provide any solace. Life always gets more complicated, never less. This is where we are today. Deal with it.
David Wineberg
July 23, 2023
I thought this book was going to be about how to sift through all the information that we experience through news, social media, etc. That is not what this book is! This book is a fairly academic exploration of how the government should think about consumer disclosure requirements. More interesting than I originally would have thought based on the (new to me lol) topic. If you are interested in how & what the government requires themselves and private companies to tell consumers - I’d recommend this.
January 28, 2021
The basic content is insightful and worthwhile but the book is repetitive. It would make a great extended article but does not quite warrant its packaging as a full book.
January 17, 2021
I highly recommend reading this book, not in e-reader format. I have another book by this author in kindle format, and I find it difficult to finish it until now. From that experience, I was too hesitant to start reading another book by this author. So, I challenge myself to read a physical book, which turned out that it was a better choice.
Too much information is a particular topic that interests me for the past years. With a stream of information overflowing my email inbox, to a thick manual explanation for my employee's benefits. At least once a day I always stop and think, "Do this information benefit me? How does the government decide on which and how additional information presented to us, a user and citizen?"
We spent X billion hours per year to comprehend and filing up any Federal paperwork. This is not included any time spend to comprehend other information such as product nutrition labels, etc. The author presented a concept of Willing-to-Pay (WTP) to measure the effectiveness of information. Although the author did mention that this is not an optimal measurement, however, this is close enough to calculate how we value information.
The book is more on overview of how the policymakers design information (nutrition label, calorie labels, equipment energy saving cost, etc) to how people, in general, perceive those information and how it affects our well-being. Albeit there is no one solution to solve the problem, I think this book has a great walkthrough to the policy-making process, well-being, cost-benefit analysis, etc. This outline of thinking hasn't crossed my mind until I slowly highlighted, research each foreign word, and try to explore printed products, guidelines, and manuals.
This perhaps one of my favorite book on narrow topics out there that walk me through the issue from the beginning to the end. I wanted to give 4.5 stars for this book, deducting 0.5 on the author writing style that somehow it's hard to follow. I understand that this topic is not as easy to write interestingly.
I particularly enjoy on the analysis of social media (particularly Facebook that the author put a spotlight on) which the result is supporting what I was thinking towards social media. Where users are putting higher price to NOT USING social media, compare to pay-to-use. The human psychology and behaviour is always intriguing and interesting.
Too much information is a particular topic that interests me for the past years. With a stream of information overflowing my email inbox, to a thick manual explanation for my employee's benefits. At least once a day I always stop and think, "Do this information benefit me? How does the government decide on which and how additional information presented to us, a user and citizen?"
We spent X billion hours per year to comprehend and filing up any Federal paperwork. This is not included any time spend to comprehend other information such as product nutrition labels, etc. The author presented a concept of Willing-to-Pay (WTP) to measure the effectiveness of information. Although the author did mention that this is not an optimal measurement, however, this is close enough to calculate how we value information.
The book is more on overview of how the policymakers design information (nutrition label, calorie labels, equipment energy saving cost, etc) to how people, in general, perceive those information and how it affects our well-being. Albeit there is no one solution to solve the problem, I think this book has a great walkthrough to the policy-making process, well-being, cost-benefit analysis, etc. This outline of thinking hasn't crossed my mind until I slowly highlighted, research each foreign word, and try to explore printed products, guidelines, and manuals.
This perhaps one of my favorite book on narrow topics out there that walk me through the issue from the beginning to the end. I wanted to give 4.5 stars for this book, deducting 0.5 on the author writing style that somehow it's hard to follow. I understand that this topic is not as easy to write interestingly.
I particularly enjoy on the analysis of social media (particularly Facebook that the author put a spotlight on) which the result is supporting what I was thinking towards social media. Where users are putting higher price to NOT USING social media, compare to pay-to-use. The human psychology and behaviour is always intriguing and interesting.
April 9, 2021
Cass attempts to make a case against the use or consumption of information that’s against your well-being or general happiness. Proposing what I imagine as a sort of human-ostrich hybrid, but instead of burying ones head in the sand, Cass demonstrates his concepts by burying his head up his own ass.
September 22, 2020
Too Much Information: On Warnings, Labels, and Enjoying Life by Cass R Sunstein is both a thoughtful and entertaining look at whether requiring disclosure (primarily) falls into an area of too much for our own good. He seems to come down firmly in the "sometimes yes, sometimes no" category intellectually.
While there are a lot of facts and very interesting anecdotes throughout, I found that the most important aspect of this book was its ability to make me think more carefully about the topic. For readers who mainly want to understand the pros and cons of full required disclosure of information, from basic facts (nutritional info) to opt-in/opt-out nudging, there is plenty here to satisfy you.
While I certainly learned a lot I was unaware of I found that rather than sitting back and thinking about the specific facts I had just read I was incorporating the ideas into my own feelings. I do lean toward more information being available, even to the point of governmental regulations on many things. I would also be comfortable with much of that information being easily accessible but not necessarily part of packaging (or at least not prominently displayed). I'll use nutritional information as an example since we are all familiar with it. For many, such information is extremely important, whether because they are weight conscious or more broadly health conscious. So requiring that information to be available serves a purpose for many people. Yet for many it can also take the fun out of "treats" that they already know aren't healthy but they indulge on occasion (movie popcorn is what is mentioned in the book). I think having the information available is more important than not having it. I also wouldn't mind if it was less prominently displayed.
My reasoning behind hesitantly condoning government regulations on making information available is that without it I don't trust corporations to be conscientious about what goes into their products as long as they can sell it. There are enough cases of companies, and even entire industries, willingly and knowingly poisoning their customers to make a profit that I do support requiring disclosure. That said, such disclosure does not have to be on every package, just available for the consumer to find easily. Between conscientious consumers and investigative journalists, and in some industries government approval, the vast majority of harmful additives or engineering practices will be avoided. Not a foolproof system but one that minimizes harmful effects while minimizing information overload.
The book is far more than what I got on my soapbox about, which makes it a valuable read for anyone who cares about too much information, whether being shared with us or being accumulated from us. I will leave that other soapbox for another time.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
While there are a lot of facts and very interesting anecdotes throughout, I found that the most important aspect of this book was its ability to make me think more carefully about the topic. For readers who mainly want to understand the pros and cons of full required disclosure of information, from basic facts (nutritional info) to opt-in/opt-out nudging, there is plenty here to satisfy you.
While I certainly learned a lot I was unaware of I found that rather than sitting back and thinking about the specific facts I had just read I was incorporating the ideas into my own feelings. I do lean toward more information being available, even to the point of governmental regulations on many things. I would also be comfortable with much of that information being easily accessible but not necessarily part of packaging (or at least not prominently displayed). I'll use nutritional information as an example since we are all familiar with it. For many, such information is extremely important, whether because they are weight conscious or more broadly health conscious. So requiring that information to be available serves a purpose for many people. Yet for many it can also take the fun out of "treats" that they already know aren't healthy but they indulge on occasion (movie popcorn is what is mentioned in the book). I think having the information available is more important than not having it. I also wouldn't mind if it was less prominently displayed.
My reasoning behind hesitantly condoning government regulations on making information available is that without it I don't trust corporations to be conscientious about what goes into their products as long as they can sell it. There are enough cases of companies, and even entire industries, willingly and knowingly poisoning their customers to make a profit that I do support requiring disclosure. That said, such disclosure does not have to be on every package, just available for the consumer to find easily. Between conscientious consumers and investigative journalists, and in some industries government approval, the vast majority of harmful additives or engineering practices will be avoided. Not a foolproof system but one that minimizes harmful effects while minimizing information overload.
The book is far more than what I got on my soapbox about, which makes it a valuable read for anyone who cares about too much information, whether being shared with us or being accumulated from us. I will leave that other soapbox for another time.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
August 25, 2023
My reading list is too long, and yet I don’t have or can’t easily access the most essential information to act upon and lead a good and meaningful life.
I have turned to others for help on this. And the ones I thought would know something don’t. Others I know would know something, are dead.
So, I saw this title and rejoiced. I thought this book would help me at least winnow my reading list.
But no. It’s as if the noted case sunstein — inspired by the admittedly interesting — what would you choose? — scenario of his father’s brain tumor and his mother deciding to tell him all was fine (it being inoperable) — as a jumping off point for these questions.
So far so good.
But then it is as if his brain generated a matrice of all the things you might want to know and all not want to know — as generic entities. And run it past the attributes of each person and how they might feel about the generic info.
At least this was the madding genericity about the time I pulled the plug and tossed the book over my left shoulder.
Cass has this aspect to him.
It was as if he was given a contract to explain in tedious and dull detail to an artificial intelligence all the possible permutations of wanting to know and not know data possible.
This strikes me as inhuman. And nuts.
And I do wonder why I ever quoted him to Saul Levmore on that economics and law test in which I got a B- or so. Bc clearly Levmore knew he was an over rated ass.
But then, Levmore knew this about this about many.
And I cannot even say he was wrong.
I just wish I had known him. And understood him.
I did take him to lunch. And he got the bead on me. From my story of Jeremy’s freshman year at age 16 experience shooting his cafeteria boss in his big big ass with a bb airgun on a lark from a great distance. And going to jail. And his English prof putting up her house to get him out. When the night time magistrate thought a bc air gun was about the same as a firearm.
Thankfully it was not. But Levmore the future dean of the law school at Chicago knew something about me from all of this. And his drill down in questioning.
He knew and he stated it as a rule that we are more influenced by our experiences than all the laws we read.
And who am I to disagree?
An interesting soul. Far more human than cass. But I’ve yet to read his Star Wars book. And the general counsel I work with says it’s fun.
Onward
I have turned to others for help on this. And the ones I thought would know something don’t. Others I know would know something, are dead.
So, I saw this title and rejoiced. I thought this book would help me at least winnow my reading list.
But no. It’s as if the noted case sunstein — inspired by the admittedly interesting — what would you choose? — scenario of his father’s brain tumor and his mother deciding to tell him all was fine (it being inoperable) — as a jumping off point for these questions.
So far so good.
But then it is as if his brain generated a matrice of all the things you might want to know and all not want to know — as generic entities. And run it past the attributes of each person and how they might feel about the generic info.
At least this was the madding genericity about the time I pulled the plug and tossed the book over my left shoulder.
Cass has this aspect to him.
It was as if he was given a contract to explain in tedious and dull detail to an artificial intelligence all the possible permutations of wanting to know and not know data possible.
This strikes me as inhuman. And nuts.
And I do wonder why I ever quoted him to Saul Levmore on that economics and law test in which I got a B- or so. Bc clearly Levmore knew he was an over rated ass.
But then, Levmore knew this about this about many.
And I cannot even say he was wrong.
I just wish I had known him. And understood him.
I did take him to lunch. And he got the bead on me. From my story of Jeremy’s freshman year at age 16 experience shooting his cafeteria boss in his big big ass with a bb airgun on a lark from a great distance. And going to jail. And his English prof putting up her house to get him out. When the night time magistrate thought a bc air gun was about the same as a firearm.
Thankfully it was not. But Levmore the future dean of the law school at Chicago knew something about me from all of this. And his drill down in questioning.
He knew and he stated it as a rule that we are more influenced by our experiences than all the laws we read.
And who am I to disagree?
An interesting soul. Far more human than cass. But I’ve yet to read his Star Wars book. And the general counsel I work with says it’s fun.
Onward
February 25, 2021
I admire Cass Sunstein's sharp mind, his clear prose, and his insane productivity. That said, I did not find this book to be one of his more interesting outputs (and there are many). The topic itself is quite interesting, and perhaps understudied: What are the actual, pragmatic effects of being awash in too much information? How do we think about the costs and benefits of information disclosure? What are the distributional effects of policies that mandate disclosure, or collect information from citizens?
I first heard about this book through a talk that Sunstein gave at our local public library; that talk was quite engaging and thought-provoking, so I thought I'd pick up the book. Unfortunately, the book didn't quite deliver on its promise, at least for me. I think the most fundamental issue is that there seems to be a mismatch between the book's scope and its intended audience. This seems like it would be a great "how to" manual for the hundreds or thousands of policymakers who are actually in positions of deciding whether to mandate information disclosure/collection. But Sunstein doesn't quite get into the full societal implications of these questions, beyond some example cost/benefit calculations. The chapter on valuing Facebook is a good example. Sunstein brings up some interesting preliminary results from small surveys he conducted on people's willingness to pay/willingness to accept for social media platforms, and makes an astute observation that our willingness to pay for something that leads to diminished happiness may be a sign of addiction. But the chapter's scope sort of ends there; it never gets into strategies for addressing this issue.
There are some interesting tidbits and ideas in the book, mostly about how to conduct a cost-benefit analysis on the value of information. But this gets repetitive (even in a relatively short book) and could probably best be summarized in a single article.
I first heard about this book through a talk that Sunstein gave at our local public library; that talk was quite engaging and thought-provoking, so I thought I'd pick up the book. Unfortunately, the book didn't quite deliver on its promise, at least for me. I think the most fundamental issue is that there seems to be a mismatch between the book's scope and its intended audience. This seems like it would be a great "how to" manual for the hundreds or thousands of policymakers who are actually in positions of deciding whether to mandate information disclosure/collection. But Sunstein doesn't quite get into the full societal implications of these questions, beyond some example cost/benefit calculations. The chapter on valuing Facebook is a good example. Sunstein brings up some interesting preliminary results from small surveys he conducted on people's willingness to pay/willingness to accept for social media platforms, and makes an astute observation that our willingness to pay for something that leads to diminished happiness may be a sign of addiction. But the chapter's scope sort of ends there; it never gets into strategies for addressing this issue.
There are some interesting tidbits and ideas in the book, mostly about how to conduct a cost-benefit analysis on the value of information. But this gets repetitive (even in a relatively short book) and could probably best be summarized in a single article.
May 16, 2020
This is an academic overview of few narrow domains related to information access and information sharing. I doubt I had ever previously given any in-depth thought to the topic, but if asked I probably would have come down on the side of "right to know" - that individuals should be given as much information as possible in order to help them make decisions. The author does a great job of delineating the ways that more information may in fact be less helpful - particularly when it is likely to be unused even when provided, or when receiving it diminishes well-being (he shares an anecdote early on about having "ruined the popcorn" by being part of the team responsible for mandating calorie disclosures on restaurant and movie theater menus).
The book shines most during its analysis of HOW information should be provided. A key example is the redesign of the Food Pyramid from the 80s/90s actual pyramid illustrated to an almost incomprehensible design in 2005, before being replaced by My Plate. in 2011. Or the fact that when calories are presented to the left of the image of the food, that information leads to healthier choices, but doesn't have the same effect when presented to the right of an image (at least in languages that are read left-to-right; a study was replicated in Hebrew which is read right to left to find that the reverse is true, so it does seem as if encountering calorie info before imagery is more helpful).
In some places, the book becomes more dense than a popularly accessible nonfiction text generally does, but overall there's a lot to enjoy in this fairly short read.
The book shines most during its analysis of HOW information should be provided. A key example is the redesign of the Food Pyramid from the 80s/90s actual pyramid illustrated to an almost incomprehensible design in 2005, before being replaced by My Plate. in 2011. Or the fact that when calories are presented to the left of the image of the food, that information leads to healthier choices, but doesn't have the same effect when presented to the right of an image (at least in languages that are read left-to-right; a study was replicated in Hebrew which is read right to left to find that the reverse is true, so it does seem as if encountering calorie info before imagery is more helpful).
In some places, the book becomes more dense than a popularly accessible nonfiction text generally does, but overall there's a lot to enjoy in this fairly short read.
March 10, 2025
I'm feeling it. Everyone is feeling it. We live in an information age where technology floods our Neandrathal brains with more information than we are equipped to deal with. Too Much Information attempts to explore the impact of all of this information and analyze the ways that information, or lack of information, shapes the way we make decisions and look at the world.
On the surface, this looks like a hit - Sunstein worked for Obama in Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs and co-authored the best-selling Nudge. I suspect there is nobody more qualified to write on this topic. Yet somehow, he fumbled it.
What would have been interesting is an analysis that linked policy on information disclosure to the actual societal impact those changes might have. Instead, we get an over-analysis of common sense ideas - like whether or not we would want to know a medical diagnosis under various circumstances, or a whole lot of talk about the monetary value we would put on having a Facebook account.
In the end, a few interesting ideas were presented that could have been better presented in a blog post rather than a book, and the bigger picture was never addressed.
On the surface, this looks like a hit - Sunstein worked for Obama in Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs and co-authored the best-selling Nudge. I suspect there is nobody more qualified to write on this topic. Yet somehow, he fumbled it.
What would have been interesting is an analysis that linked policy on information disclosure to the actual societal impact those changes might have. Instead, we get an over-analysis of common sense ideas - like whether or not we would want to know a medical diagnosis under various circumstances, or a whole lot of talk about the monetary value we would put on having a Facebook account.
In the end, a few interesting ideas were presented that could have been better presented in a blog post rather than a book, and the bigger picture was never addressed.
November 30, 2023
I’ll be honest, I might have misread the synopsis and thus expected the book to be about how people are inundated with too much information online and to manage that (I’m in desperate need of a book like this).
But given Sunstein’s career and if you read the synopsis properly (oops), you’ll realise this is Sunstein’s unofficial proposal to policymakers to restructure and rethink their policies on disclosures and essentially T&Cs that people come across in everyday life.
The arguments and concepts/terminologies in the book are easy to understand and I was surprised by how short the book was (which I imagine is intentional given that one of Sunstein’s main arguments is that information as it now is, is unnecessarily long and bloated so there must have been extra attention from the writer and publishers to be succinct).
Even though the book wasn’t what I initially intended to read on, I’m glad for coming across it although I do find it a little lackluster in its ending (since there’s no actionable changes it inspires in the reader unless you’re a policymaker.)
But given Sunstein’s career and if you read the synopsis properly (oops), you’ll realise this is Sunstein’s unofficial proposal to policymakers to restructure and rethink their policies on disclosures and essentially T&Cs that people come across in everyday life.
The arguments and concepts/terminologies in the book are easy to understand and I was surprised by how short the book was (which I imagine is intentional given that one of Sunstein’s main arguments is that information as it now is, is unnecessarily long and bloated so there must have been extra attention from the writer and publishers to be succinct).
Even though the book wasn’t what I initially intended to read on, I’m glad for coming across it although I do find it a little lackluster in its ending (since there’s no actionable changes it inspires in the reader unless you’re a policymaker.)
April 17, 2020
This was quite an informative book as well as being humorous at times about information in our lives; from labels on food to sharing photos on Insta and other social media; and how much is too much? I laughed, cringed and raced through this book because it of the wit, opinions and well-researched statistics in the pages. I barely use Twitter or Snapchat but I am still active on Facebook and learning how to use Instagram; maybe it's time to limit how much you post daily or just be more careful about the level of personal information we share... easier said than done.
I think most readers will have some of the same reactions as I did reading this and thank goodness it wasn't super preachy and it was funny, a nice change to some of the doom and gloom nonfiction I have been reading lately. A must read about daily information in our lives and around us.
Thanks to netgalley, the publisher and author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Available: 9/1/20
I think most readers will have some of the same reactions as I did reading this and thank goodness it wasn't super preachy and it was funny, a nice change to some of the doom and gloom nonfiction I have been reading lately. A must read about daily information in our lives and around us.
Thanks to netgalley, the publisher and author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Available: 9/1/20
May 12, 2020
A delightful non-fiction book that discusses whether or not to "ruin the popcorn". Sunstein asks, when is information disclosure too much or too little? Also, when is information disclosure necessary? This book explores these questions and more.
The writing itself is excellent and well thought out. The only issue I see with the writing is the level of language used. It may not appeal to a wider audience. Word choice is also above a certain level of education. Perhaps using simpler words, with simpler explanations would help it appeal to a wider audience.
Sunstein uses a number of studies, experiments, and references to bring validity to her main argument. The only issue here, is the amount of references used. It may have been better to use less references, and focus on the arguments instead.
Overall, Too Much Information was a well thought out and interesting read. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a more scientific approach to a philosophical subject.
The writing itself is excellent and well thought out. The only issue I see with the writing is the level of language used. It may not appeal to a wider audience. Word choice is also above a certain level of education. Perhaps using simpler words, with simpler explanations would help it appeal to a wider audience.
Sunstein uses a number of studies, experiments, and references to bring validity to her main argument. The only issue here, is the amount of references used. It may have been better to use less references, and focus on the arguments instead.
Overall, Too Much Information was a well thought out and interesting read. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a more scientific approach to a philosophical subject.
November 12, 2021
فكرة أننا نتعرض بإفراط للمعلومات بشكلٍ يومي، وقد يصل بنا الحال إلى شراء حق عدم المعرفة وتقنين المعلومات التي تقتحم حياتنا.
يقارن الكاتب بين مناقب وعواقب المعرفة والمعلومات، رغم ميله الواضح للعواقب. جاءته فكرة الكتاب بعد عمله على سياسات الإفصاح عن السعرات الحرارية في أحد لجان الصحة بالحكومة الأمريكية، فتفاجأ بأن الكثير من الناس لا تحب معرفة هذه المعلومة "كي لا يفسد هذا من متعة الطعام."
مع المضي في الأفكار والاستنتاجات نصل إلى التالي:
- نتفادى المعلومات والأخبار التي تسبب لنا الأذى العاطفي (خوف، بكاء، تفكير زائد، قلق..)
- نرحب بالمعلومات والمعارف التي تساعدنا في أخذ القرارات العقلية الصحيحة (استثمار، تحسين الصحة، صفقات تسوق..)
ربما كان من الأفضل اختصار هذه الأفكار الرئيسية والفرعية في مقالة أو حلقة بودكاست. الكثير من التمطيط وتكرار الأفكار والاستنتاجات كان بالإمكان تفاديه لو دعّم الكتاب بأرقام وإحصائيات أكثر.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 31, 2022
This book was a lot of words and a whole lot of ideation in the abstract to pass along a handful of insightful & important ideas and points.
It struck me as belonging in a category of ‘philosophical musing and unfinished shower thoughts’ rather than as something resembling hard-science that could help offer concrete information for the interested reader to help advance their knowledge in the area.
My sharpest critique is his incessant reliance on using one’s “Willingness to Pay” as an accurate barometer of, or proxy for, well… anything at all. He uses it so much that it’s cited in the index more than 30x.
He goes out of his way to bring up many relevant cognitive biases, yet avoids the well-known fact that what people SAY they will pay for something in a lab and what they DO pay when it’s a real-world situation are wildly different - and as such is a completely useless barometer.
It struck me as belonging in a category of ‘philosophical musing and unfinished shower thoughts’ rather than as something resembling hard-science that could help offer concrete information for the interested reader to help advance their knowledge in the area.
My sharpest critique is his incessant reliance on using one’s “Willingness to Pay” as an accurate barometer of, or proxy for, well… anything at all. He uses it so much that it’s cited in the index more than 30x.
He goes out of his way to bring up many relevant cognitive biases, yet avoids the well-known fact that what people SAY they will pay for something in a lab and what they DO pay when it’s a real-world situation are wildly different - and as such is a completely useless barometer.
September 13, 2023
For a relatively short book on a topic of near-universal importance, Too Much Information seemed to drag on far beyond its page count. 90% of the insights, points, and thought-provoking value is contained in the introduction and first chapter; the final 10% is scraped and stretched across all the remaining sections in ways that feel repetitive and, at points, irrelevant. At a sentence level, the book is well written. Sunstein knows his stuff, and I immensely enjoyed his prior book, co-authored with Richard Thaler, "Nudge." But here he takes the reader around and around and leaves them with few concrete takeaways wondering why they bothered. The answer to this book's subtitle is the book itself. I can't recommend reading Too Much Information in its entirety. Read the first tenth of it and move on. 2/5
April 21, 2020
This book sets out on the premise that information is great and whatever we receive should be pegged on it being good for us or improving our lives.
True, there are some things I do not care much for like labels on soda or pop corn and then there are those that I want to know like medication, and yes- even in the world of books, I want to know just a bit from the blurb what the book is all about before I buy it.
The author draws from a vast range of examples and I loved that about this book. I also found it more interesting on how it touches on personal information and with social media- it begs the question, how personal is personal?
This is a good read- it's got all the information alright.
Thanks for the eARC Netgalley.
True, there are some things I do not care much for like labels on soda or pop corn and then there are those that I want to know like medication, and yes- even in the world of books, I want to know just a bit from the blurb what the book is all about before I buy it.
The author draws from a vast range of examples and I loved that about this book. I also found it more interesting on how it touches on personal information and with social media- it begs the question, how personal is personal?
This is a good read- it's got all the information alright.
Thanks for the eARC Netgalley.
November 23, 2020
I fell in love with the work of Cass Sunstein earlier this year, and I've binged his books. I've been waiting for months to finally get my hands on this new book, and it was definitely worth the wait. We're flooded with information and have more access to information than ever before, but how much information do we really need? Does too much information make us make bad decisions? If too much information makes us make bad decisions, then what's the moral and ethical obligation for places to provide that information?
I always love how Cass takes a look at various subjects and asks a wide range of questions about how we should handle topics based on what we know about human behavior. As always, this book was extremely unique, and I can't wait for his next book.
I always love how Cass takes a look at various subjects and asks a wide range of questions about how we should handle topics based on what we know about human behavior. As always, this book was extremely unique, and I can't wait for his next book.
October 27, 2020
Important topic; (more) information is not always good/better.
The book is (partly) based on several papers Sunstein wrote previously. Good to see them bundled, but does not help for coherence. Chapter 6 on Facebook did not fit very well in the whole scheme of things. And chapter 7 on Sludge (a very important topic) is tangentially related to the overall theme.
Also, the large emphasis on cost-benefit analyses and its minutiae could not always capture my interest.
Summary of the book on my blog: https://wilte.wordpress.com/2020/10/2...
The book is (partly) based on several papers Sunstein wrote previously. Good to see them bundled, but does not help for coherence. Chapter 6 on Facebook did not fit very well in the whole scheme of things. And chapter 7 on Sludge (a very important topic) is tangentially related to the overall theme.
Also, the large emphasis on cost-benefit analyses and its minutiae could not always capture my interest.
Summary of the book on my blog: https://wilte.wordpress.com/2020/10/2...
July 31, 2023
In "Too Much Information", Sunstein explores the paradox of information overload and how it affects decision-making, personal well-being, and society as a whole.
This book opened my eyed to the challenges and consequences of living in a world saturated with information, where we are constantly bombarded with data, news, and opinions. Sunstein discusses how too much information has led to decision paralysis, misinformation, and an inability to focus on what truly matters.
This audiobook was around 6 hours and generally, was a nice quick listen and the narration by Tristan Morris was fine.
I recommend checking it out!
This book opened my eyed to the challenges and consequences of living in a world saturated with information, where we are constantly bombarded with data, news, and opinions. Sunstein discusses how too much information has led to decision paralysis, misinformation, and an inability to focus on what truly matters.
This audiobook was around 6 hours and generally, was a nice quick listen and the narration by Tristan Morris was fine.
I recommend checking it out!
January 30, 2025
這本書主要在辯論政府資訊揭露應該到怎樣的程度、有什麼需要注意的。但整體的寫法比較空洞，譬如作者說應該以民眾接受到資訊後是否幸福當作依據，但作者自己也提到這個衡量非常的抽象，而且應該以當下，還是未來的幸福當依據很難說，連怎樣是「未來」也難以界定。既然如此，還比較希望作者多提點實務上的東西，譬如說實際案例中如何衡量，執行校過如何等等的。雖說如此，還是有一些語句蠻好的
- 我們常常因為過於重視某事，而放大這件事情對於幸福感的影響，但其實這些影響大多會迅速淡去。我們常常高估壞消息的影像力，於是寧可選擇拒絕承擔壞消息帶來的風險
- 光是覺得自己能夠控制什麼，就能產生正面情緒，而這不僅有助於健康或財務，事實上主導感本身也有價值
- 網路上隨處可見的揭露事項，常被誤以為是要保護使用者的隱私，但實際上卻是為了確保使用者放棄自己的隱私
- 民眾無法注意到錯失的資訊，伴隨而來的「自願資訊揭露」效果也會大打折扣。
- 在利益衝突的事件中，如果建議人認為已經透過資訊揭露的方式提供利益衝突的事情，接下來比較不會意識到自己還需要繼續提供公正的建議
- 「稟賦效應」：「願意得到多少錢不使用」通常是「願意付出多少使用」的兩倍。這顯示即使是相同的東西，我們會認為自己擁有的價值較高。比起取得新的東西我們更厭惡已有的東西被剝奪。
- 民眾對於自己能夠克服「淤泥效應」的可能性總是抱著不切實際的樂觀。
- 「淤泥效應」或是行政負擔可以作為一種配給機制，確保某些商品只會來到最需要或最想要的人手上。例如需要填寫比較多的資料才能獲得申請
- 放鬆管制除了廢止法令外也包含減輕行政負擔
- 我們常常因為過於重視某事，而放大這件事情對於幸福感的影響，但其實這些影響大多會迅速淡去。我們常常高估壞消息的影像力，於是寧可選擇拒絕承擔壞消息帶來的風險
- 光是覺得自己能夠控制什麼，就能產生正面情緒，而這不僅有助於健康或財務，事實上主導感本身也有價值
- 網路上隨處可見的揭露事項，常被誤以為是要保護使用者的隱私，但實際上卻是為了確保使用者放棄自己的隱私
- 民眾無法注意到錯失的資訊，伴隨而來的「自願資訊揭露」效果也會大打折扣。
- 在利益衝突的事件中，如果建議人認為已經透過資訊揭露的方式提供利益衝突的事情，接下來比較不會意識到自己還需要繼續提供公正的建議
- 「稟賦效應」：「願意得到多少錢不使用」通常是「願意付出多少使用」的兩倍。這顯示即使是相同的東西，我們會認為自己擁有的價值較高。比起取得新的東西我們更厭惡已有的東西被剝奪。
- 民眾對於自己能夠克服「淤泥效應」的可能性總是抱著不切實際的樂觀。
- 「淤泥效應」或是行政負擔可以作為一種配給機制，確保某些商品只會來到最需要或最想要的人手上。例如需要填寫比較多的資料才能獲得申請
- 放鬆管制除了廢止法令外也包含減輕行政負擔
November 3, 2020
I picked up a review copy of this book because I've read Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness, a very good book which was co-authored by Cass Sunstein.
Too Much Information has some very interesting points, explaining things like why marketing does not have to tell you the reasons the company did something but rather why it benefits you as a consumer, and how the presentation of information matters while a reduction in disclosures increases the saliency of the more important ones, and how disclosure requirements tend to be imposed "when less informed consumers interact with better-informed sellers and when the incentives of the consumers and sellers are at least arguably misaligned."
I would suggest this book for those who want to know more about the topic, especially given that the author was advisor to President Obama. However, it is a little drier than Nudge and does not provide a significant amount of new information if you have read Nudge or similar books. 3.5 stars
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a review copy.
Too Much Information has some very interesting points, explaining things like why marketing does not have to tell you the reasons the company did something but rather why it benefits you as a consumer, and how the presentation of information matters while a reduction in disclosures increases the saliency of the more important ones, and how disclosure requirements tend to be imposed "when less informed consumers interact with better-informed sellers and when the incentives of the consumers and sellers are at least arguably misaligned."
I would suggest this book for those who want to know more about the topic, especially given that the author was advisor to President Obama. However, it is a little drier than Nudge and does not provide a significant amount of new information if you have read Nudge or similar books. 3.5 stars
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a review copy.
December 9, 2021
My notes: information can help people but make them unhappier, and lack of information can hurt them but make them happier.
Cost effectiveness must be balanced with cost benefit analysis. The least expensive way to accomplish something has to be analyzed with the actual and opportunity costs and the benefits of the thing.
Sludge. The best chapter of the book. Is it better to help a lot of people even if some of them don’t actually qualify, or make it so difficult to get help that some people who do qualify for help won’t get it?
Cost effectiveness must be balanced with cost benefit analysis. The least expensive way to accomplish something has to be analyzed with the actual and opportunity costs and the benefits of the thing.
Sludge. The best chapter of the book. Is it better to help a lot of people even if some of them don’t actually qualify, or make it so difficult to get help that some people who do qualify for help won’t get it?
May 11, 2023
The latter half of the book (chapters 5-7) is considerably better than the beginning. It provides some interesting and thought provoking examples of the morality behind increased information, decisions people make with increased information even when they know those decisions are bad for them, and the auditing of “sludge,” or over burdensome paperwork across all sectors. Many of these salient points are those to which can be easily agreed. I do feel like it was far too repetitive and far too tiresome to get to chapter 5.
April 29, 2020
"Too Much Information", by Cass Sunstein, is a treatise on the advantages and disadvantages of receiving too much information. This book discusses topics such as education, politics, religion, health, and social media. While there are many benefits to being well-informed, the author posits that the stress brought into our lives by too much information is detrimental to our wellbeing. This book was well-written, if a little dry.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
June 18, 2021
Uma boa discussão sobre quais excesso de informação compartilhada por governos e como alertas de consumo e seus impactos nas decisões das pessoas e na formação dos seus convencimentos de longo prazo. Estes últimos muito se aproximam daquilo que em geral entendemos como crenças e portanto um assunto relevante a discutir, dado que informações pode servir não apenas ao objetivo primeiro de informar, mas para solidificar crenças que podem ser difíceis de modificar no futuro.
December 9, 2020
If you've never read anything by Cass Sunstein this is a 4-star read. I've read a lot by him so gave it 3-stars. There aren't any new ideas in this book and to be fair, it isn't presented as if it is new content. It is clear and highlights the relevant points of "too much information" - always a good reminder and reality check of the world we live in.
June 2, 2021
While the information in this book is exemplary it suffers from the same problem it’s addressing… Too much information. The point being made could be done much more concisely and turned the book into a slog to get through. It’s unfortunate because I really enjoy Cass Sunstein and his work but I had to force myself to finish this.
July 19, 2021
Idea: WOW. What are the cons on having too much information?
Development: Good. The book has so many good examples that follows into being "too repetitive" and hard to finish.
A not-so-heavy-to-read academic paper about the cost of hosting, processing, taking decision based on too much information and how it becomes counter-productive.
Development: Good. The book has so many good examples that follows into being "too repetitive" and hard to finish.
A not-so-heavy-to-read academic paper about the cost of hosting, processing, taking decision based on too much information and how it becomes counter-productive.
September 23, 2021
I’m glad I read this book. It got me thinking about things that I’ve thought about a lot over the years - at small - in my work at the church - and at large in my life in the world. What information is helpful? What gets in the way? When is information too much? When is it enough? When is less more? And when is more less? I’m glad this book got me thinking about this.
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