Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy (Cathy O'Neil)
Don't be turned off—this is a very easy for the layperson and a very quick read.
However, the thesis is impossible to ignore and all of the case studies she covers are intriguing ( I was already familiar with most of them).
Like most of you, I have had read scattered articles/papers over the years about this issue (and shrugged my shoulders in despair), but this is my first extended read on how nearly all aspects of our lives are quantified, categorized and evaluated via proprietary/opaque algorithms/criteria. Each chapter could easily warrant a dedicated book of its own, so you will likely find yourself reading-up on some topics (health insurance, in particular).
I wish the subtitle wasn't overly-sensational, but then nobody would even bother reading the book...so chalk it up to the marketing needed to get noticed.
Bump!
I've read the following books:
The Dogs of War
The Odessa File (Forsyth)
The Man in the High Castle (Philip K. Dick)
Fahrenheit 451 (Bradbury)
The Puppet Masters (Heinlein)
Childhood's End (Clarke)
I love using my imagination to "view" the scenes described on books, so you can imagine how much fun it was to read Childhood's End. As far as I'm concerned this is the best book ever written , I really need to get more into Science Fiction if the books are as good as Clarke's novel.
I'm now reading Fist of God (yes Forsyth again). I still like Forsyth but his books feel so pedestrian after reading Childhood's End...
I have the Puppet Masters softcover sitting on a shelf for years... Or is it a book on cassette? I can't remember. I gotta dust it off and read the damn thing already.
BUT I HAVE DOZENS OF OTHER BOOKS ahead in the queue.
Decisions, decisions.