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dddorka's review against another edition
5.0
wow, the title is accurate.
I'm truly mindf*ucked by this book.
I'm truly mindf*ucked by this book.
kwheeles's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent objective view of the impact of social media in the US (author is Canadian). Shares my view of American 'exceptionalism' preventing us from improving our society by analysis of best practices elsewhere. Most of the narrative is 5 star, portions near the end were not as central to my own interests. The early sections read like a thriller - very compelling. Author is smart and original. Compelling paragraph on Peter Thiel:
'Peter Thiel, the venture capitalist behind Facebook, Palantir, and PayPal, spoke at length about how he no longer believes “that freedom and democracy are compatible.” And in elaborating his views on technology companies, he expounded on how CEOs are the new monarchs in a techno-feudal system of governance. We just don’t call them monarchies in public, he said, because “anything that’s not democracy makes people uncomfortable.”'
Great stuff.
'Peter Thiel, the venture capitalist behind Facebook, Palantir, and PayPal, spoke at length about how he no longer believes “that freedom and democracy are compatible.” And in elaborating his views on technology companies, he expounded on how CEOs are the new monarchs in a techno-feudal system of governance. We just don’t call them monarchies in public, he said, because “anything that’s not democracy makes people uncomfortable.”'
Great stuff.
meltedcholo's review against another edition
5.0
my profile pic sums up my reaction to everything described here
skvrnami's review against another edition
3.0
V podstatě by se kniha dala rozdělit do tří částí - před, během a po Wylieho působení v CA, z nichž asi ta nejzajímavější je poslední zmíněná kvůli popisu whistleblowingu a jeho dopadu na život Wylieho, včetně smazání jeho profilů na FB a Instagramu samotným Facebookem kvůli vynesení informaci o pochybeních firmy.
Jinak je asi nejpřekvapivější, jak moc málo překvapivá celá kniha je (a ok, to co CA dělala v USA je daleko méně kontroverzní než její činnost v jiných státech). Co jsou lekce, které je možné si vzít jsou:
- využití dat politickými kampaněmi je norma, Cambridge Analytica nebyla výjimkou, (pravděpodobně) výjimečná byla jen její ignorace jakýchkoliv zábran. Před Trumpem se mělo za to, že demokrati dokáží pracovat s daty daleko líp. A myslím, že celý hype ohledně vlivu CA na výsledky amerických voleb je třeba brát s rezervou.
- big data nejsou všechno, pro pochopení voličů je dobré jít za nima a pochopit, co je trápí a jak o tom uvažují. Mimochodem Trumpovo heslo "drain the swamp" vzešlo z jedné focus group s voliči.
A vlastně celou dobu mi v hlavě vrtalo, proč Wylie nedal výpověď, když vlastně většina jeho práce byla daleko za hranicemi etiky. A nemyslím, že by nabízel uspokojivou odpověď. Sice přiznává své chyby, ale vzhledem k tomu, že po skončení své práce v CA dohodil svým známým stáže pro kampaň za brexit, pochybuju o jeho schopnosti reflexe.
Jinak je asi nejpřekvapivější, jak moc málo překvapivá celá kniha je (a ok, to co CA dělala v USA je daleko méně kontroverzní než její činnost v jiných státech). Co jsou lekce, které je možné si vzít jsou:
- využití dat politickými kampaněmi je norma, Cambridge Analytica nebyla výjimkou, (pravděpodobně) výjimečná byla jen její ignorace jakýchkoliv zábran. Před Trumpem se mělo za to, že demokrati dokáží pracovat s daty daleko líp. A myslím, že celý hype ohledně vlivu CA na výsledky amerických voleb je třeba brát s rezervou.
- big data nejsou všechno, pro pochopení voličů je dobré jít za nima a pochopit, co je trápí a jak o tom uvažují. Mimochodem Trumpovo heslo "drain the swamp" vzešlo z jedné focus group s voliči.
A vlastně celou dobu mi v hlavě vrtalo, proč Wylie nedal výpověď, když vlastně většina jeho práce byla daleko za hranicemi etiky. A nemyslím, že by nabízel uspokojivou odpověď. Sice přiznává své chyby, ale vzhledem k tomu, že po skončení své práce v CA dohodil svým známým stáže pro kampaň za brexit, pochybuju o jeho schopnosti reflexe.
jeshka's review against another edition
2.0
I actually didn't get very far in this book. The part I did read was like 95% personal information about the author and that's not what I'm reading this book for. I couldn't maintain the interest needed to keep reading, I have ADHD. Someone get back to me with the tldr, or a version with a lot of details...about the Cambridge Analytica thing, not the author.
shivangidhiman's review
4.0
Talks about the intensity of what actually went down at Cambridge Analytica and the extent to which we are being watched, targeted and influenced by people in power. Highly recommend!
amber_lea84's review against another edition
5.0
This book ties it all together. We know there’s a connection between Trump, Steve Bannon, Robert mercer, Cambridge analytica, Facebook, Russia, Brexit and all the chaos of the last five years, but it’s so hard to understand how all the pieces actually fit together and Christopher Wylie has the answers because he was involved in all of it. And it’s basically exactly what you suspect.
If you’re trying to understand how we got where we are politically, and perhaps how we might save ourselves, I’d say this might be the most important book you could read. It explains everything that other books couldn’t.
I will note this definitely isn’t a perfect book. I think Wylie is a little condescending at times, and I definitely question his honesty around his willingness to overlook the ethics of what he was doing. (Like bruh, you really never stopped to think about it? Are you sure? Because you really seem to have some well developed opinions on this stuff. You definitely don’t SEEM like someone who wouldn’t think about it or ask questions.) He also likes to stop and lecture the reader on things that aren’t super related and he uses metaphors that don’t quite work. But honestly, I don’t think that should stop anyone from reading it because the insights you’ll find here are really important.
This is one of those books I think everyone should read. Especially anyone who uses social media, which is everyone.
If you’re trying to understand how we got where we are politically, and perhaps how we might save ourselves, I’d say this might be the most important book you could read. It explains everything that other books couldn’t.
I will note this definitely isn’t a perfect book. I think Wylie is a little condescending at times, and I definitely question his honesty around his willingness to overlook the ethics of what he was doing. (Like bruh, you really never stopped to think about it? Are you sure? Because you really seem to have some well developed opinions on this stuff. You definitely don’t SEEM like someone who wouldn’t think about it or ask questions.) He also likes to stop and lecture the reader on things that aren’t super related and he uses metaphors that don’t quite work. But honestly, I don’t think that should stop anyone from reading it because the insights you’ll find here are really important.
This is one of those books I think everyone should read. Especially anyone who uses social media, which is everyone.
sardine164's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
Fascinating account of Cambridge Analytica. It helps explain some of the strange events in the political sphere in recent years.
The final chapter was a great essay about the importance of privacy.
Fascinating account of Cambridge Analytica. It helps explain some of the strange events in the political sphere in recent years.
The final chapter was a great essay about the importance of privacy.