Data Cartels: The Companies That Control and Monopolize Our Information

by Sarah Lamdan

In our digital world, data is power. Information hoarding businesses reign supreme, using intimidation, aggression, and force to maintain influence and control. Sarah Lamdan brings us into the unregulated underworld of these "data cartels", demonstrating how the entities mining, commodifying, and selling our data and informational resources perpetuate social inequalities and threaten the democratic sharing of knowledge.

Just a few companies dominate most of our critical informational resources. Often self-identifying as "data analytics" or "business solutions" operations, they supply the digital lifeblood that flows through the circulatory system of the internet. With their control over data, they can prevent the free flow of information, masterfully exploiting outdated information and privacy laws and curating online information in a way that amplifies digital racism and targets marginalized communities. They can also distribute private information to predatory entities. Alarmingly, everything they're doing is perfectly legal.

In this book, Lamdan contends that privatization and tech exceptionalism have prevented us from creating effective legal regulation. This in turn has allowed oversized information oligopolies to coalesce. In addition to specific legal and market-based solutions, Lamdan calls for treating information like a public good and creating digital infrastructure that supports our democratic ideals.

Genres: Nonfiction, Technology, Politics, Business

201 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 8, 2022

Reviews

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exactly what it says on the cover, presented in clear language with easy to follow arguments.

It points out how unregulated tech and analytics companies profit off surveillance and shape access to information (and how we talk about the world) in the areas of academic research, legal and financial Information, and news reporting.

It also points out how state actors are entangled with and gain power over the populace through this lack of regulation (corrections officers to social workers).

The downside of the arguments, in my opinion, is that so much of the focus is put on idolizing a very politically Liberal ideal of non-bias, that it doesn't really contend with how anti-Blackness and industrial/racial capitalism are built into state systems. Like, who will regulate the regulators, you know? A lot of the arguments here to me were unconvincing because when the author talked about how historically things weren't don't this way, all I could think is "yes, they were differently horrible."

Like on p135 when talking about how online public resources are different from physical public resources, where "we're shocked when public transportation leaves people behind" told me very loudly that the author doesn't talk to many physically disabled people.

So while I overall found it an enjoyable and informative text, some of the analysis is lacking the kind of perspective that I think would really push the conversation to a new place.

[Tova · Rating 4 out of 5]

ok maybe i should shoot my phone

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important book for librarians and anyone interested in how information is commodified to read. In theory everyone should read this book, but it may be too complex or technical for the average reader to dive into without some background understanding of the way technology shapes our modern information structures.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting ideas, but a DNF for now.

At first, I was all in, even wondering how we can teach law students without forcing them to become data packets that profit (the owners of) Westlaw and LexisNexis.

But the tone became so insistent, so determined to scare me. It started to remind me of cable news channels.

Then I hit a statement that didn't pass the smell test (that law firms spend 70% of their budgets on Westlaw/Lexis . . . not, you know, salaries and benefits and expensive square footage for office space). I even clicked on the links in the citation. The linked documents didn't support the statement.

And with that, I lost my confidence in the author. Which maybe is silly of me, because this claim about law firms' budgets wasn't all that important, could have been left out altogether.

The big claims still interest me--about complicity with overreach by law enforcement, about firewalls depriving scholars outside the US & western Europe of access to research, about inaccurate information potentially messing up our applications for jobs, housing, etc. with no recourse. I will at least read her article(s).

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a well-researched, well-footnoted exploration of the ways that a handful of companies wield an outsized amount of power and influence via control over a variety of types of data. It is broken into chapters based on the type of data (legal, financial, academic, etc.); Lamdan offers helpful histories/contexts, lays out the major problem areas, and offers suggestions/solutions both small and large. This book will definitely not leave you feeling *happy* about the state of the world, but it is incredibly informative - as a librarian I already knew some of its content, but much was new to me. I read this book as part of a small group of STEM librarians - it was great fodder for discussion and I will be thinking about ways to implement some of its calls to action. Overall: would definitely recommend to those who are interested in non-fiction re: some of today's greatest policy/societal challenges.

[Phil Mendez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book covers four industries affected by data cartels: academic, legal, financial, and news information. It concludes with two suggestions. First, increase regulations. Second, increase public information systems. In general, the book makes an argument for why we should treat information like a public utility (like water, electricity) that comes with protections and standards. Some of the issues include gatekeeping, collusion, and exploitation.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very important book for anyone concerned, or even curious, about the ways that companies control our lives through data harvesting and manipulation.

This book contains suggestions to resolve these situations, basically first steps that would begin to unravel the web that these companies have our society in. Unfortunately these were all pretty demoralizing to me; many of them would rely on our elected officials or government to do something about this, when they have no incentive to because they personally benefit from the situation. There are some hopeful moments, but overall this is not a book to read if you want to feel optimistic about anything.

[Mysteryfan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I must say I've gone through this book three times and am still ambivalent. I may adjust my rating upwards because I haven't stopped reviewing it. Which in of itself is a good reason to upgrade it

The book is deeply flawed. There are some glaring inaccuracies and it's a little strident. But it exposes some major issues. The two essential tools of lawyers are sharing their data with anyone who will buy it. The information about financial data sharing should give anyone fears.

I will say it is worth reading especially for anyone interested in data privacy issues.

[Natalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author presents such strong arguments that this was an excellent book for discussion. I could feel her fury and frustration at data monopolies, much of which I agree with. I wish there was more description/discussion of the legal evolution/regulations of other information industries, and I was hoping the last chapter was longer with more regulation and funding solutions (although I was glad that a utopian collective information repository was not the recommendation; there were some real adoptable options if we [congress] had the stomach for them).

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Important information. I would love to see specific examples of the information these companies have on me. Perhaps a next edition could include examples, and/or, assuming such paths exist, information on how to request one’s personal records.

[JJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent books about how our governments are not funded enough to preserve our data so for-profit companies create databases instead which they sell to us, state, local, and national governments, law enforcement, professionals, immigration instead. Very eye-opening.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was difficult for me to get into. I found it very repetitive and scolding in a sense. After trying to get past chapter 1, I went to the last chapter, which was still repetitive; however, there were some worthwhile ideas/statements.

[Daan · Rating 5 out of 5]

“We should treat information that is created by the public, and that’s essential to public decision making, like a public resource. In contrast, we should treat private information as private, not as a resource that can be exploited by data companies.” P. 128

[Sydney Box · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book raised interesting and pressing concerns about big data. But the bulk of the book felt like fear mongering. It seemed like the author was cherry picking evidence to make big data (but only RELX and Thomson Reuters) seem 100% evil. There was little to no discussion about the benefits of the data industry or evaluation of the practicality of her proposed solutions. There was also no evidence to support many of her assertions, reducing the credibility of her arguments.

[Rebecca Bratspies · Rating 5 out of 5]

really enjoyed this thought-provoking (and disturbing book.) Well written, thoroughly researched and scary AF. Gonna go put on my tin foil hat now.

[Adaleine Daisy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The way it's written is somewhat repetitive, but the information in it is extremely important, especially if you live in the US, though this affects people living pretty much anywhere.

[Chris Landry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crucial.

[E.F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative and important.

[Clayton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite an interesting book with some good case studies. Chapter 6 seemed like a stretch, though, and unconnected with the rest of the content. Should've been more overall focus on regulation, that seemed like the real through-line. Still, calling attention to a huge problem and so extremely important!

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Should be part of Academic Librarian Canon.