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March 9, 2015
As social media platforms and other technologies diffuse into our everyday lives, Silverman acts as a much-needed digital skeptic, drawing out the resulting ideological shifts and questioning what these changes mean for society. The book presents a state of affairs that simultaneously provokes outrage, incredulity, and despair: notions of authenticity and selfhood as affected by Facebook, the economic and social effects of the so-called "sharing economy," digital serfdom, and what Silverman terms "the informational appetite" for raw data. Silverman is an optimist, though, and he provides numerous policy changes for readers to advocate, such as a digital bill of rights, a universal basic income, and regulation of data brokers. But the book also makes clear that with continued citizen inaction and apathy, tech companies led by cyber-libertarians and techno-utopians will continue to build a world with interests that don't match our own. Silverman proves himself an astute cultural critic as he addresses the complexity of the current moment in technology. Agent: Lauren Smythe, Inkwell Management.

March 15, 2015

Silverman, a journalist and literary critic, delivers an in-depth review of the social media companies that not only rule our technologies but are revolutionizing social dynamics, culture, and the very way the world is run. The author explains jargon including "frictionless sharing" and "sentiment analysis" without condescending to those not in the know. Silverman describes the principles and products of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter as well as sites that organize many different aspects of our lives such as Uber, Taskrabbit, and Airbnb. He comments on the social and psychological consequences of spending so much time plugged in, yet also illustrates how our habits serve the industry that fosters them. VERDICT Though there are myriad other books on this topic, Silverman astutely points out that this is a conversation that needs to be had more than once. This is a serious consideration of the issues for people on both sides of the argument and an essential read for anyone wishing to better understand the changing dynamics of our world.--Catherine Lantz, Univ. of Illinois at Chicago Lib.

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