Take a photo of a barcode or cover
663 reviews for:
Everybody Lies: Big Data, New Data, and What the Internet Can Tell Us About Who We Really Are
Steven Pinker, Seth Stephens-Davidowitz
3.82 AVERAGE
663 reviews for:
Everybody Lies: Big Data, New Data, and What the Internet Can Tell Us About Who We Really Are
Steven Pinker, Seth Stephens-Davidowitz
3.82 AVERAGE
Good read, preferred his second book - Don’t trust your gut
I like books on how data is used, both to educate and influence us. This is an interesting book with an interesting premise that we only 'tell the truth or can find the truth' from Google search data. I'm not sure I fully buy in to the author's contention that Google data holds the truth to big questions of how its users feel about sex, politics, and race. There are interesting data on a number of topics and some potential correlations, but the author seems too sure of his argument that we always lie to each other, but not Google. That said, it's an interesting read with interesting data, so it's worth a read, but keep an open mind.
A super fun and super interesting book. Basically, the author takes the stance that people lie on surveys. Which is of course true. People try to preserve an image of themselves, even when the only person that is going to know the response is themselves. The author's hypothesis is that for a lot of those problematic questions (typically questions related to racism, sexual behaviors, and other topics thought of as embarrassing), we can find the true information through google search information.
The book is interesting and entertaining in it's display of google insights. I highly recommend it to anyone who creates surveys. We're currently in a big data revolution, so why not find out how big data can work for you?
The book is interesting and entertaining in it's display of google insights. I highly recommend it to anyone who creates surveys. We're currently in a big data revolution, so why not find out how big data can work for you?
This was a very interesting book about the ways that it is possible to use big data for things other than selling people crap. One of the most interesting things he showed is that the single biggest predictor of whether Trump would win a county was google searches for the n word in that county. It was even bigger effect than sexism had on the election.
Author described his own book as “Freakonomics, but with big data”. Some good ideas, frameworks, techniques for mining big data, with mildly interesting data insight stories. Fact nuggets were a little flat in the telling, so I think it’s just writing style.
If you liked [b:Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything|1202|Freakonomics A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything (Freakonomics, #1)|Steven D. Levitt|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327909092s/1202.jpg|5397], you'll find this book to also be a fun read. Davidowitz uses interesting social examples (sex, racism) to show us how big data can unearth truths about things that many people lie about. He makes a compelling case that, at times, big data can get at the truth in a way that surveys cannot. The way I'm explaining it sounds a little dull, but Davidowitz is actually quite funny and very insightful. The only part I wasn't wild about was when he delved into the ethics of using the data; he's not an ethicist, and I'm not sure I agreed with his observations . . .but regardless, he made me think! Definitely worth reading, and if you have any interest at all in the social sciences/economics, I'd highly recommend it as a fast, fun, and intriguing book to pick up.
Great book. It’s kinda scary to think that so much of our lives are tracked and noted on the internet. I love that you can tell what people are really worried about with Google searches. I also love that this is becoming a science now. Not just an out there idea that some think is false or guesses.
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Data dethrones conjecture in this adventuresome look at human behavior
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Incest, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence
informative
reflective
medium-paced