It is a new year. A new roster of books to read and documentaries to watch. One such book I am quite interested in is The Net Delusion, the Dark Side of Internet Freedom by Evgeny Morozov. This book, though published in 2011 is quite timely with the on going investigations into allegations of Russia hacking emails and influencing our national election. The link below is the New York times review of the book. Excellent research and an eye towards then current events makes this book quite compelling to read.
ww.nytimes.com Book Review “Twitter Can’t Save You” by Lee Siegel
A favorite chapter of mine is “Why the KGB Wants you to Join Facebook”. I have had a discussions that revolved around George Orwell’s 1984. A friend of mine contends that she is fearful of Big Brother. I told her we have already been giving away our rights through likes and confirms when we purchase or download a new app or game. No one reads the 16 page contract that new system software wants you to acknowledge when you install.
The book is an eye opener for those who may not be cognizant of the feeling that the internet at times feels constricted. Morozov has several examples of how people have been able to come together with the use of Twitter and yet it is pointed out that policy makers in various countries offer better internet services to their people while accepting the government’s edict on censorship.
We are starting a new year. Let’s make the best of it by making sure we are clicking on right “Like” button.