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Your Data, Their Billions: Unraveling and Simplifying Big Tech
“Big tech” knows all your secrets and sells them to the highest bidder—this guide for the everyday tech user explains how it happens, why it matters, and how to protect yourself and your most precious commodities, your identity and privacy.
THE GUIDE TO USING EVERYDAY TECH—FROM GOOGLE SEARCHES AND AMAZON TO GPS AND FACEBOOK—WITH EYES WIDE OPEN.
What if somebody knew everything about you? Your . . .
• work, social, and private
• family history, finances, and medical records
• even your exact location . . . at any time of the day
• personal preferences and purchases
Somebody does. That somebody is “Big Tech.”
Facebook, Google, Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft know more about you than you do.
And they make billions of dollars by cashing in on your private data.
Our personal data, which Big Tech companies get for free, is the engine that drives the unregulated, free-for-all, Wild West world called the digital marketplace. These corporate giants may bring us information and entertainment, convenience and connection, but they also do a lot of harm
• threatening our privacy, discovering and disseminating our personal information.
• spreading dangerous misinformation from foreign governments and bad actors.
• manipulating our behavior, affecting what we see, buy . . . even who we vote for.
So, what can we do about it?
This eye-opening book provides vital information that has been out of reach to those who need it most—the millions of Facebook, Google, Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft users who have come to love and depend upon these digital products. Veteran consumer advocate Jane Hoffman makes the complex world of Big Tech simple to grasp as she reveals exactly how Big Tech uses—and abuses—your personal information. And she proposes a bold blueprint for reforming these corporate behemoths—including a data dividend.
Your Data, Their Billions is a guidebook to everything at stake in our digital society, from Big Tech’s overreach into our daily lives to its practices that threaten our democracy. Knowledge is power—and it starts here.
THE GUIDE TO USING EVERYDAY TECH—FROM GOOGLE SEARCHES AND AMAZON TO GPS AND FACEBOOK—WITH EYES WIDE OPEN.
What if somebody knew everything about you? Your . . .
• work, social, and private
• family history, finances, and medical records
• even your exact location . . . at any time of the day
• personal preferences and purchases
Somebody does. That somebody is “Big Tech.”
Facebook, Google, Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft know more about you than you do.
And they make billions of dollars by cashing in on your private data.
Our personal data, which Big Tech companies get for free, is the engine that drives the unregulated, free-for-all, Wild West world called the digital marketplace. These corporate giants may bring us information and entertainment, convenience and connection, but they also do a lot of harm
• threatening our privacy, discovering and disseminating our personal information.
• spreading dangerous misinformation from foreign governments and bad actors.
• manipulating our behavior, affecting what we see, buy . . . even who we vote for.
So, what can we do about it?
This eye-opening book provides vital information that has been out of reach to those who need it most—the millions of Facebook, Google, Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft users who have come to love and depend upon these digital products. Veteran consumer advocate Jane Hoffman makes the complex world of Big Tech simple to grasp as she reveals exactly how Big Tech uses—and abuses—your personal information. And she proposes a bold blueprint for reforming these corporate behemoths—including a data dividend.
Your Data, Their Billions is a guidebook to everything at stake in our digital society, from Big Tech’s overreach into our daily lives to its practices that threaten our democracy. Knowledge is power—and it starts here.
- GenresTechnology
302 pages, Hardcover
Published April 19, 2022
5 people are currently reading
61 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 2, 2022
DNF. This book was too difficult to finish reading. I made it to page 100 and could not explain the point of the book. The structure is terrible, the subheadings are not descriptive and too far apart for such a dense topic. The paragraphs jump from topic to topic with no connection. It felt like the author felt the need to throw every study and fact they could find into this book without checking it added to the message. It also has a strong political tone for a book about data rights.
The topic was quite interesting, but the poor writing and lay out made this book a headache to try and read.
This was an ARC.
The topic was quite interesting, but the poor writing and lay out made this book a headache to try and read.
This was an ARC.
December 15, 2023
'Your Data, Their Billions' in my personal opinion is a 4 out of 5. This book is an appealing analysis of the complex world of big data and privacy. The book carefully unravels the complex web that the big internet companies have created, revealing the far-reaching effects of our digital footprint. This book stands out for its ability to simplify complex ideas into understandable knowledge, which makes it essential reading for anybody interested in technology or wanting to gain an improved understanding of the digital world. It is credible how the author takes a fair-minded stance when analyzing the problems with data ownership and privacy, providing both practical answers and criticism. It raises important concerns regarding the control of personal information, but it also equips the readers with information, calling on all the readers to be more watchful and proactive in protecting our digital identities.
One quote from "Your Data, Their Billions: Unraveling and Simplifying Big Tech" that is my favorite: "In the digital age, data is the currency, and we're all unwittingly contributing to the wealthiest bank." The book offers a variety of insightful observations. The above quote perfectly shows the common reality of our globally networked world, where digital companies place a great deal of value on the data we share often without our knowledge. It is an unsettling reminder of the imbalance in the exchange: although we give our personal information freely, the real winners are frequently faceless organizations that profit greatly from our digital footprints.
The book "Your Data, Their Billions: Unraveling and Simplifying Big Tech" explores the current problem of digital companies exploiting consumer data. It reveals how the success of these companies is fueled by personal information, exploring the ethical issues and social consequences of unrestrained data collection. It raises awareness of our digital footprints through real-world examples and pushes for more regulation and awareness in the data-driven economy.
The primary theme of "Your Data, Their Billions: Unraveling and Simplifying Big Tech" is the ownership, exploitation, and wide-ranging effects of data. It carefully breaks down the complex relationship that exists between people and internet companies, exposing the frightening fact that personal data is the currency of the digital era. It advocates for a more open and accountable approach to corporate data handling by getting readers to think about the importance of their digital footprint.
One quote from "Your Data, Their Billions: Unraveling and Simplifying Big Tech" that is my favorite: "In the digital age, data is the currency, and we're all unwittingly contributing to the wealthiest bank." The book offers a variety of insightful observations. The above quote perfectly shows the common reality of our globally networked world, where digital companies place a great deal of value on the data we share often without our knowledge. It is an unsettling reminder of the imbalance in the exchange: although we give our personal information freely, the real winners are frequently faceless organizations that profit greatly from our digital footprints.
The book "Your Data, Their Billions: Unraveling and Simplifying Big Tech" explores the current problem of digital companies exploiting consumer data. It reveals how the success of these companies is fueled by personal information, exploring the ethical issues and social consequences of unrestrained data collection. It raises awareness of our digital footprints through real-world examples and pushes for more regulation and awareness in the data-driven economy.
The primary theme of "Your Data, Their Billions: Unraveling and Simplifying Big Tech" is the ownership, exploitation, and wide-ranging effects of data. It carefully breaks down the complex relationship that exists between people and internet companies, exposing the frightening fact that personal data is the currency of the digital era. It advocates for a more open and accountable approach to corporate data handling by getting readers to think about the importance of their digital footprint.
April 8, 2022
I enjoyed how easy the writing and concepts were easy to digest. Not all tech books are this friendly. There was a lot of stuff in here I stopped to look up (thanks for the bibliography) because I couldn’t believe it.
The data Big Tech collects feels like a dark hole we will never escape. There were some interesting proposed compromises or payments for our data that seem laughable for Big Tech to agree to, but hi estoy pretty fair. I feel uneasy after reading this and yet still helpless to control my own privacy data online from all the apps and searches that make life so easy to give into in exchange.
My only hesitation about recommending this book is that in 6 months it will likely be outdated, tech and news about it moves so fast and there will be another big scandal soon enough. Worth the read if you want to freak yourself out and gain some insight. I wrote down quiet a few more books and concepts to read up on from the reference material.
Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The data Big Tech collects feels like a dark hole we will never escape. There were some interesting proposed compromises or payments for our data that seem laughable for Big Tech to agree to, but hi estoy pretty fair. I feel uneasy after reading this and yet still helpless to control my own privacy data online from all the apps and searches that make life so easy to give into in exchange.
My only hesitation about recommending this book is that in 6 months it will likely be outdated, tech and news about it moves so fast and there will be another big scandal soon enough. Worth the read if you want to freak yourself out and gain some insight. I wrote down quiet a few more books and concepts to read up on from the reference material.
Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 27, 2022
This is a good book for someone who is tangentially aware of big tech and how our information is being used, but doesn't quite understand it. The examples in this book do tend to be repetitive, but I think that mostly just helps to make sure that the audience sees the connections over time. While none of the information in this book was overly new to me, I really liked how the author presented the information and the writing was clearly aimed at a non-technical audience which I think Hoffman achieved. I liked the author's explanation of Section 230 especially as that is something that has been in the news a lot lately and can be confusing to understand.
June 21, 2022
😐 I love anything that shines a light on all the dark side of Silicon Valley and social media in particular. This book failed to be anything I can call cohesive. It’s poorly organized and rambling.
Am important topic but not a good book on it.
Am important topic but not a good book on it.
April 14, 2023
The topic of this book is really compelling, and as a reporter who covers tech, I was interested to see what Hoffman had to say about the industry — but I found that about a third of the way through the book, I wasn't finding anything new. I did appreciate how easy the book was to understand, but I also recognize that it may quickly be outdated, and my heart aches for Hoffman thinking of all the work she put into this knowing tech is ever-evolving. I DNF the book but I don't think it's necessarily bad, just not right for me. I think it would be good for maybe parents or other trusting individuals in your life who sincerely don't understand why we should not blindly trust Big Tech.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free eARC.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free eARC.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews