Blown to Bits: Your Life, Liberty, and Happiness After the Digital Explosion

By Harry Lewis, Hal Abelson, Ken Ledeen

Book Overview

What you must know to protect yourself today

The digital technology explosion has blown everything to bits--and the blast has provided new challenges and opportunities. This second edition of Blown to Bits delivers the knowledge you need to take greater control of your information environment and thrive in a world that's coming whether you like it or not.

Straight from internationally respected Harvard/MIT experts, this plain-English bestseller has been fully revised for the latest controversies over social media, "fake news," big data, cyberthreats, privacy, artificial intelligence and machine learning, self-driving cars, the Internet of Things, and much more.

Discover who owns all that data about you--and what they can infer from it Learn to challenge algorithmic decisions See how close you can get to sending truly secure messages Decide whether you really want always-on cameras and microphones Explore the realities of Internet free speech Protect yourself against out-of-control technologies (and the powerful organizations that wield them)
You will find clear explanations, practical examples, and real insight into what digital tech means to you--as an individual, and as a citizen.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0134850017
• ISBN13: 9780134850016
• Release Date: December 2020
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.09 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.9" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Subtitle should be: "When stuck in Cyberflatland ..."

This is an important book to read because of the perspective it provides. "Blown to BITS" clearly describes a future of information systems and their users when they get trapped in Cyberflatland. Just like the now well known book Flatland, the people and systems of Cyberflatland are challenged to even imagine the extra dimensions. The authors are very accomplished and I happen to know and respect them and their work. I gave the book a 5 star rating because it provides a context for imagining the extra dimensions that it would take, and that actually exist, to escape Cyberflatland. The Computer Science community and the associated industrial base has the capacity to break out of Cyberflatland and enable an alternative future.

Blown to Bits

Big brother is watching. The world that George Orwell predicted in his book 1984 is here. What's more, we love it. The digital age has changed our lives. So much is now at our disposable, instantly. Need to contact someone who is out of their office, just phone their cell phone. Want the latest news or gossip about your favorite movie star, just surf the internet. Looking for a great deal on your next new car, do a little research on the net. Nothing could be more simply. On a day to day basis most of us only think about the convenience factor. Yes, we all are irritated by spam and once in a while we might do a virus or spyware scan in an attempt to make sure that our information stays safe. What we don't tend to realize is that our personal information is already out there: every angry blog entry you ever wrote, information about what sites you visit, medical history, credit rating information. The list is endless. Blown to Bits educates us about what bits of our life is available for public view. The reality is that we can't completely erase our personal digital footprint. However, there are a few things we can do to protect ourselves to some extent.

Fascinating

This book is perfect for people who want to understand more about information technology and don't want to read something long or technical to learn it. The authors do a superb job taking the reader through how major technologies function (computers, the internet, cell phones, etc.), how they are shaping our lives, and what impacts they have on our laws and society. Amazing stories are woven throughout it, making it readable and fun for techies and non-techies alike. At the end of the book, you'll have a new understanding of the things we take for granted - and what possibilities and threats they pose. You'll also be light years ahead of most other people - who themselves will need to come up to speed in the coming years. A great read!

a must read

This is one of those books that will change the way you look at the world, or at least, your computer (which, as you'll learn, might be a lot more of the world than you think!) In a very readable prose, the authors explain how the world is fundamentally different now that so much information -- so many bits -- is being generated, monitored, and stored about nearly everything we do. The book covers not just how the internet actually works but also weaves together many applicable examples from the worlds of commerce, entertainment, government, and law. It is one of those books that will cause you to share what you just read with whomever happens to be in the room, as it is filled with many gee-whiz moments. A great read.

Right on the mark

I could not put this book down. It presents in approachable and lucid terms the complexities and subtleties of the information age. It goes beyond the mere didactic, using well thought out and entertaining vignettes to make it a joy to read. Read this book.