The System: Who Owns the Internet, and How It Owns Us

by James Ball

'A fascinating exposé of the world behind your screen. Timely, often disturbing, and so important'
Caroline Criado Perez, author of Invisible Women

'Takes us beyond Zuckerberg, Bezos et al to a murkier world where we discover how everything online works and who benefits from it. Fascinating, engaging and important'
Observer

'Could not be more timely'
Spectator

The internet is a network of physical cables and connections, a web of wires enmeshing the world, linking huge data centres to one another and eventually to us. All are owned by someone, financed by someone, regulated by someone.

We refer to the internet as abstract from reality. By doing so, we obscure where the real power lies.

In this powerful and necessary book, James Ball sets out on a global journey into the inner workings of the system. From the computer scientists to the cable guys, the billionaire investors to the ad men, the intelligence agencies to the regulators, these are the real-life figures powering the internet and pulling the strings of our society.

Ball brilliantly shows how an invention once hailed as a democratising force has concentrated power in places it already existed - that the system, in other words, remains the same as it did before.

Genres: Nonfiction, Technology, Internet, Science, Business, Sociology, Web

263 pages, Paperback

Published July 8, 2021

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

James Ball, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral, has been in the autism field for over 20 years providing educational, residential, and employment services to children and adults affected by autism. Dr. Ball is the President/CEO of JB Autism Consulting. He is also the Director of Clinical Services for New York Families of Autistic Children, Inc. (NYFAC), a private not-for-profit organization providing support and training for children and families. He provides private consultation to organizations, schools, and families regarding staff training, parent training, home support services, classroom design/support, and behavior management/assessment.

Dr. Ball is also a member of Autism New Jersey, formally known as the New Jersey COSAC, Board of Trustees, and Professional Advisory Board, and also sits on the advisory board for Autism Asperger’s Digest magazine. A member of the Autism Society Board of Directors. Dr. Ball has lectured nationally and internationally on various topics such as early intervention, inclusion services, functional behavior assessment, social skills training, behavior management, direct instruction, sensory issues, and accountability. He has published in many of the above areas and authored the breakthrough award- winning book Early Intervention and Autism: Real-life Questions, Real-life Answers. Dr. Ball has won numerous awards including: NYFAC’s Autism Inspiration Award, the Autism Society’s Publication Award, and the Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor of Autism New Jersey.

Reviews

[Brian Clegg · Rating 4 out of 5]

The internet, whether via the web or services making use of the network such as email, is a huge part of most of our lives, both at work and socially - never more so than during the 2020 pandemic, when video meetings and remote working have proved so useful. In this insightful book, James Ball takes us under the surface of the internet to see the parts of it - both good and worrying - that we aren't usually aware of.
We start with some history, featuring an interesting interview from Steve Crocker, one of the architects of the original network. The background and technology is a topic that deserves more depth of coverage (I can recommend the book When Wizards Stay up Late to get the full picture), but it isn't the main focus of The System.

After that introductory material, Ball takes us into the competing worlds of those who provide the physical network that connects us to the internet and those responsible for the software running on it. Where in the UK, such networks typically have a telecoms background, in the US they seem more linked to cable TV companies and as such already present a business conflict as the 'cable guys' are also content providers. Here, for the first time, the contentious issue of 'net neutrality' rears its ugly head. We also see the organisation at work that attempts to manage some aspects of what can seem an anarchic, Wild West environment.

Perhaps the most important part of the book is the second section on 'the money'. Here we meet both the venture capitalists and the ad men. Most revealing is the section on advertising, where Ball takes us into the intensely complex links and mechanisms that lie behind the apparently simple process of an advert appearing on a web page on our browsers. I was fascinated and horrified by the sheer quantity of information about me that is flying back and forth at this point - most of it not to the advertiser but to other sites that have left cookies behind. Ball refers to those tedious GDPR checks for permission we get on visiting new websites, which most of us just 'OK' without reading. Guilty of doing this, I discovered I had cookies for over 4,000 websites contributing to this hidden eco-structure - I've now deleted them all and take the time to check what I'm saying Yes to. This is the most technical part of the book, covering the behind-the-scenes mechanisms. Though important, it proved the weakest part for readability as the explanation is not particularly well-written and a little dull.

Finally, we get on to the various factions attempting to provide and break security on the internet - probably worth a book in their own right.

In the end, this is not so much a book about science and technology as about business, economics and politics. It's still interesting to a popular science audience, and has important things to say, though I would have liked more on the internet's origins and technical workings. This would, however, tend to put off some of the book's intended audience. It's an important book, though, as the internet has such a huge impact on our lives and few of us really appreciate just what is going on behind the scenes.

[Scott Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a fantasy to write a book about the Internet. It would answer questions like:

- How does it work?
- Who owns it?
- Who runs it?

I have this fantasy because every book about the Internet that I’ve seen is bad. “Not even wrong.” Misinformation.

It was with that in mind that I was shook by the introduction to James Ball’s The System. It is better than my best fantasy; it speaks my soul better than I. The first two pages tie a narrative together of every high-profile character and drama about the Internet since the ‘90s. Then says, “but it’s not the story of this book.”

What is the story of that book?

The real and physical wires, radio waves, and machines that are the Internet. The organisations that own and control them. The power. Those ones and zeros reside on someone else's property, surrounded by dirt, guns, and tax.

This book’s story is about those someones.

[Matty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can’t believe I hadn’t hunted down a book on this topic earlier! So interesting, I love the way the author makes what could be very dry subject matter, really interesting to read! And it’s so true, as the author describes, we all just accept that the internet tracks us & steals our personal data. Really makes you stop & think about what the system is doing to us all!!

[Tanim Abedin · Rating 5 out of 5]

an amazing breakdown of what can be assumed to be an overly technical subject matter for the average layman (me). this book is one of the more important publications in recent years.

what we learn is a seemingly obvious truth. the internet, which we believe to be a equitable and neutral space, is actually the current new frontier of capitalism and state surveillance. it's a network of networks and in its webs lies a world of tech entrepreneurs, venture capitalists lawmakers, politicians, advertisement, cable company monopolies, activists and us, the users. geopolitical power runs through undersea cables and data warehouses.

[Earwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure how a complete layman would fare with this book but it does a valiant attempt at explaining everything as simple as possible and has a glossary at the end to boot. I was also unfamiliar with a lot of things touched there but I at least have degree in computer sciences, when I imagine a random family member reading it I think they'd be still a little lost.

Still, It is the best resource I've seen yet about this subject at least. Could it be simplified further? Probably, but I don't know how. Maybe cut out the history and just focus on the immediate stuff that impacts the end user..? That would be quite a different book however..

[Erdem Erikçi · Rating 3 out of 5]

İlk yarısında bilmediğimiz bir şey anlatmıyor. İkinci yarısında ilginç şeyler söylüyor. Fakat sorunlara karşı önerdiği çözüm önerilerinin etkili olacağını pek düşünmüyorum. Çaresizlik hissediyor insan daha çok.

[Apurba Ganguly · Rating 5 out of 5]

First and foremost, I would like to thank Bloomsbury India for their patience and trust in my work. I apologize for the delay in posting this much-anticipated book review.

The System is one of the most comprehensive nonfiction books on how the ownership of the Internet and how the internet has possessed our movements and ideas in ways unimaginable and unanticipated. In short, it is a phenomenal nonfiction book which deserves a special place in your bookshelf.

Recently, The Social Dilemma, a Netflix documentary, had taken the world by storm for its controversial and covert revelations regarding data privacy and cookies policy. The fact that our movements on Amazon can be monitored by Facebook is a horrifying reality. While some people were struck with awe, others were frightened to know that an organisation, or a group of organisations, was keeping track on what they do, whom they talk to, and so on. If The Social Dilemma freaked you out, remember this — the documentary is just the tip of the iceberg.

Social media is a small figment in the large ocean known as the Internet. And, The System analyses its socio-economic and political influence on the real world of tangibility. James Ball voices his ideas and opinions in a very structured manner, beginning first with the idea of the Internet as a mass of revolutions. Indeed, the birth and emergence of the Internet had promised its users of a better way of life, with opportunities and faster way of getting multiple tasks done. In 2020, the Internet has come a long way. With advancement in technology, the Internet now is capable of swaying people's emotions as well as the national election results of a country. Today, the internet can turn a dictatorship into a democracy, and a democracy into a dictatorship.

With so much power to transform a community, it is natural to think who controls and maintains the functions of the internet. This is where The System comes in. The author's experience and research finds expression with each turn of the page. Moreover, The System does not merely emphasize on the "bad things" that have happened or are currently happening. The book also talks about what these "bad things" can turn into in the near future.

I cannot comment anymore on the contents of the book, because it is the product of the author's research on the said topic. The only thing I can add to this review is that I will looking forward to more such writings associated with investigative journalism from James Ball. I convey my best wishes to the author for his future endeavours.

[Renato Gómez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow at the beginning, this book offers you a detailed explanation about how works internet and the consequences in our lives. The political and social analysis is a complicated mix between a libertarian and a person who understand the less democratic Kingdom of the transnationals.

[Siobhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, published as The Tangled Web We Weave in the US and The System in the UK, is a look at the internet and how it works, from its inception and the physical infrastructure that makes it work to the companies and money that control many of the platforms and interactions we have with the web. Ball outlines how the internet is a result of decisions, market forces, and government actions, and concludes by looking at the action that can be taken to try and change it to ensure it works for the vast majority, not the few who control it.

Ball provides a useful summary, in different chapters, of different areas of the system that is the internet, starting with its origins and then looking at the physical cables and service providers, then at the tech industry and possibilities of government and other surveillance. The book is designed for complete beginners to reading about these areas, trying to avoid using jargon that isn't explained and not going into technical depth. This makes it particularly useful for people either looking at the internet from more of a social science viewpoint but wanting to know how it works, or for people who want to know more of the history and issues surrounding the internet and how it is controlled.

A useful starting point or general overview for anyone interested in the internet and how it works and is used, this book is an accessible option hopefully likely to inspire further reading or action, particularly as Ball concludes with a call for change, for fighting for tech companies actually paying the taxes they should and not being allowed to use unfair labour conditions as well as for better treatment of people's data. What probably is needed next is more accessible information on how this might happen, but it is important that books like this, aimed at people not necessarily up to date on these tech issues, are published.

[Daniel Garcia Robles · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book reads as an overstretched magazine article but a lot less fun. It is undeniable that a subject like this can be dry but the writer doesn’t really know how to remedy that. His journalistic approach is one of recounting what he learns from different experts but without giving the impression he’s digested the facts in a way that can be translated to the reader in an entertaining or illuminating way.

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have no idea who this book is for. As a subject-matter expert, its depth felt infantile to me, in a way that was almost insulting. At the same time, it's too short and lacks the sort of robust (technical and non-technical) explanations that could help steer someone who is starting out towards meaningful conclusions. I don't recommend it, unless you are intentionally looking for a brief and superficial look into the Internet's technopolitical structure.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A terrifying insight into how the internet developed/ operates but I would have been grateful for greater exposition of how it actually works practically and who the key players are - including the invisible ones - as the conclusion seems to be essentially control = power = influence = profit, which isn't particularly groundbreaking in and of itself.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy to read and very eloquent but also extremely basic - it's limited by trying to reach the widest audience. I hope it does.

[Oya Kizilkaya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Konu güzel ama sanki ders kitabı gibi sarmadı.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first thing you will want to do after reading this book is check how good the firewall and the anti-virus software is on you desktop or other internet-enabled device. The second thing you will want to do is use one of the diagnostic softwares to monitor your cookies and how far your personal data is being propagated.

James Ball provides a history of the internet early years and then analyses how it has developed in practice compared to what he calls the 'cyberpunk' utopian dreams of the early years. Its a valiant attempt, although I felt he did not get the most out of some of the interviewees; and in trying to make the descriptions easy to understand and free of the worse jargon, I felt at times the writing meandered around the crux of the technical matters and I was left wanting. Perhaps I am being unfair to Ball when I say there were times I wanted a bit more "Michael Lewis"(hence the 4 not 5 stars).

The book is divided into three broad sections: first the Mechanics, then the Money flows, and finally the governance and policing (or lack thereof).

The latter section is the most shocking. Governments had a choice: would they use their capacity to monitor the internet and its vulnerabilities to warn the public and keep them safe from cyber criminals and predatory private company behaviour, or would they use it to support their own needs to monitor their own populations. They chose the latter (he argues that was driven by the initial US dominance of the internet, but we are starting to regret it now that other nations like Russia and China are using the internet for offensive strategies against 'the West').

As Ball says, how would people react if they discovered that the police new every door lock could easily be opened and not only did nothing about it but in some cases even colluded with the lock-makers to make them less robust?

It is hard to disagree with Ball that, while the internet has accelerated the pace of life, made physical distance far less relevant, and information far easier to find (but not critically assess), it has not fundamentally changed how corporations, governments and individuals respond to incentives .... in nefarious short-sighted ways.

We should all be taking a more active interest in defending the concept of net neutrality (diluted during the Trump administration in favour of greater corporate power).

[Robert Cain · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Ball is a former journalist of both Wikileaks and The Guardian, sources which have exposed many unethical actions in western governments. He now runs the Bureau of Investigative Journalism and this is accompanied by several book releases. With “The System”, he closely examines the internet, its impact on society and the forces that control one of our most important tools. More than ever, concerns over ethical use and privacy hang over modern western society and this book reaches to the heart of those topics.

The internet connects millions of us together, but it also comes with many serious problems that need addressing. The rise of advertisement business models, the flow of information, net neutrality and hack attacks; all of these are made possible with the cables connecting countless computers and networks. James organises these issues into categories, homing in on the people with the biggest impact online. This includes those with the money to influence operations and those looking to challenge governments and democratise the online scene. While the author does present his observations clearly, the book’s heavy use of technical terms may be off-putting for some readers.

Initially, Ball begins with a summary of how the internet was created and how it grew into its current form. Details of the US’s ARPANET project. A key thread running through the book is how the world wide web grew at an exponential rate, so much so that we were unable to craft effective legislation to regulate its use and avoid potential problems. Through a collection of anecdotes and interviews. James drills straight to the heart of where the internet went astray; as a result, discussions with individuals like Brian O’Kelley are definitely the most intriguing element.

Recommended?

YES: While it may take some time to get into with its many technical terms and descriptions, The System is a timely and relevant book that puts a magnifying glass on our connected society. The use of a full timeline from the internet’s inception through to today grounds the author’s research while his own experiences offer some great insight into the forces controlling the online scene. If nothing else, James Ball gets you to consider these modern issues, to understand what they mean for the wider populous; this makes for an engaging read

[Harald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and up to date on the Internet

This book is aimed at people who are not experts in technology, finance and for that matter politics. However, Ball gives his readers an overview and insight into each of these areas in order for us to better understand what has happened to the Internet in recent decades.

John Ball is a former journalist for the British Guardian. He uses anecdotes and interviews with key people to document the development and problems we now face. The focus is naturally on the United States, but he also looks towards the rest of the world. He gives a good description of how the internet got started and was developed based on a few universities in collaboration with the US Armed Forces. Later, venture capital provided for further development. As a journalist, he is concerned with how individuals contributed in their own way with technology, money and successful software. Liberal and random management has given us the freedom to use the web in various ways, but also paved the way for a few dominant companies.

A world of advertising
Ball points out that the success of Facebook and Google is primarily based on huge advertising revenues. How they got this wealth is scary reading. It is no wonder that both the United States and the European Union have recently issued lawsuits against the biggest Internet giants. Ball provides a basis for understanding why this is happening right now. Ball also includes the views of those who are trying to achieve better management and control over the internet.

Although Ball points to some serious problems, he still writes soberly and straightforwardly. He avoids obscure language. Special terms and expressions are carefully explained both in the text and in a separate glossary at the back of the book. Nevertheless, this is not a textbook.

What do I miss? Ball writes about Wikileaks - which he himself participated in - but writes little about the use of the Internet as part of big politics. Regardless, this is a book that can be safely recommended. The author has received a number of awards for his previous writings.

[Monika · Rating 4 out of 5]

The System was a great introduction to how the internet works, from finding out how it was created to how people make money off it. The book is divided into 3 parts; the mechanics, the money & the melee. My favourite part was the mechanics section as it takes you through how the internet was created and how it works in somewhat technical terms, as I was really interested in knowing more about that topic in particular.

Unfortunately, I think the book falls apart a bit in the second and third section. The Money section has only 2 chapters. The first chapter is called 'The Money Men' and the second is called 'The Ad Men'. At first this seems like a fair enough separation but the two chapters merge into one as the second half of 'The Money Men' starts talking about websites making money through data collection via cookies, which is basically explained in full in the next chapter anyway.

I think the third section of the book suffers from some mistitling issues. For example, one of the chapter is called 'The Cyber Warriors', which naturally made me think of some cool hackers defending internet security or some 90s movie bullshit. Unfortunately, in reality the chapter was about government surveillance, which is something I am obviously interested in but it just wasn't what I was expecting from the chapter title!

The last two chapters felt particularly weak as it became very clear that Ball was basing entire chapters on one or two interviews from people in the field, which made me feel like I wasn't getting the full picture on the topic.

All in all, I would still recommend The System to anyone who is interested in the topic as it serves as a good overview of how the internet works and its main problems. I definitely read it for that purpose but will now move on to books that can provide greater depth on the issues discussed here.

[Phuong Ha Pham · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Internet in its engineering meaning, that's the cables and how networks are connected worldwide. Just like the railway, the Internet is owned by some privileged people (the cable guys), and of course it works to their advantage. And not only them, but also their partner, the content guys - those who make content and sell it to users via the cable guys. This means users pay according to the content they want to buy, and they are tracked once they're online often with them being oblivious. More importantly, despite the initial vision of the Internet was for data not to be discriminated, it is not the way it was meant for, as it now stands. However, a group of people are fighting to get this former vision called net neutrality to be a reality.

While the book is informative, and at some point entertaining, the first few chapters could be more reader-friendly with less use of jargon, and more catering to the general reader.

[Benji · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really threads how’s the technology itself, the money that is invested in it and the lack of action from government have created the world we live in today.

The first two sections tell this story in a really interesting way, making the technical stuff interesting and engaging. Genuinely it is an excellent piece of work in doing this and tying it to the thesis of the book.

The book falters on two points:
1. The intro seems to suggest that the book is going to expose how the internet is a creation of rich white men, something which is then not really touched upon again at all, and which to be honest, the story doesn’t really bear out hugely.
2. When it comes to the ‘another world is possible’ bit of the book, it reaches for the one concrete example that everyone reaches for - Wikipedia. This felt a bit of a let down and left me feeling that another world maybe isn’t possible.

I’d give it 3.5 erring on the side of 4.

[Wej · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very readable introduction to the Interet. It starts with the history of ARPANET, then describes the design and governance of various protocols, the geek phase of early Internet, and down to the commercialisation, and state/corporate surveillance of the network.

It's not a great start for picking up technical details of networking, Computer Networks would be much better for that, but it tells an engaging story and introduces colourful characters that played an important role in making Internet what it is today.

At times, the book showed that the author was lacking in technical preparation. For me, the particularly cringeworthy moment was when he confused Natural Language Processing with Neurolinguistic Programming, both use the acronym NLP, but it was like taking astrology for astronomy.

[Ela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic history of the Internet. Most important topics it covers: the Internet was always tied to the government, how Venture Capital works and contributes to our "problems", how Internet marketing works and how it changed publishing.
In my opinion, this should be a must-read for anyone working in technology, you will learn what should have been covered in your first week of learning.

[Roland Glotzer · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting overview of the internet in a non technical language explaining its history, the role and power of the cable companies and that of the organisations running the internet with the proper standards. It shows who profits from it (the venture capitalists, advertising and cyber warfare) and finally how it is regulated as well as the activists who want to ensure its safety. No new earth shattering revelations but at least one concise volume that covers it all.

[Mancman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew a little about some of the things in this book, but my knowledge gaps were soon shown to be chasms.
It’s well written, fairly jargon free, and in all truth both scary and fascinating.
If you’re already an expert in the subject then I’m sure it’s not engrossing, but for me, I had to keep pausing to really contemplate what I was discovering.
Recommended.

[Martin Castle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books that make you think wow I can’t believe that! We look upon the internet as just another utility like water electricity etc but behind the scenes it’s an unbelievable group of organisations institutions and companies all at loggerheads it seems! Add to this mix the good guys trying to protect privacy across the net! This is a fascinating book and a real eye opener.

[JudithCollins · Rating 3 out of 5]

The bit about the revolutionary technologies like the printing press and the railroads and how it takes 50 -150 yrs to establish workers r- ....oh shit, someone cut me off and I can’t remember how to finish my sentence. 😕

[Povilas Čiuplys · Rating 4 out of 5]

Made me stop and think, challenged my understanding in how internet works and who actually owns it. A complex story told in a easy and understandable way. Would recommend for those who like to explore and look at things from different angles.

[JenWrenReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Print) Although it took me awhile to read through it and take notes, I’m so glad I did. I picked it up for work but think it’s important for everyone to understand how the internet works and how it owns us. Highly recommend.

[Stefano Ottolenghi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many good points, lots of interesting references and bibliography.

[Sinisa Szabo · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is good.