Overview
- Teaches the impact of the attention economy and algorithmic information delivery on media production and consumption
- Shows how regulations, business practices, and consumer safeguards have been slow to catch up to technological advances, leaving information platforms open to manipulation
- Covers how both foreign and domestic operatives leveraged big-data analytics to win (or hack) elections
- Includes information about social movements that have used participatory media to steer the narrative of mainstream media
- Shares how “troll armies” have used automated social media accounts (bots) to harass and abuse individuals and communities
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Table of contents (7 chapters)
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Front Matter
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The Propaganda Problem
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Front Matter
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Case Studies
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Front Matter
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Back Matter
Keywords
About this book
Data versus Democracy investigates and explores how, in the era of social media, human cognition, algorithmic recommendation systems, and human psychology are all working together to reinforce (and exaggerate) human bias. The dangerous confluence of these factors is driving media narratives, influencing opinions, and possibly changing election results.
In this book, algorithmic recommendations, clickbait, familiarity bias, propaganda, and other pivotal concepts are analyzed and then expanded upon via fascinating and timely case studies: the 2016 US presidential election, Ferguson, GamerGate, international political movements, and more events that come to affect every one of us.
What are the implications of how we engage with information in the digital age? Data versus Democracy explores this topic and an abundance of related crucial questions. We live in a culture vastly different from any that has come before. In a society where engagement is currency, we are the product. Understanding the value of our attention, how organizations operate based on this concept, and how engagement can be used against our best interests is essential in responsibly equipping ourselves against the perils of disinformation.
Who This Book Is For
Individuals who are curious about how social media algorithms work and how they can be manipulated to influence culture. Social media managers, data scientists, data administrators, and educators will find this book particularly relevant to their work.
Reviews
Authors and Affiliations
About the author
In a former (professional) life, Kris was an academic and digital humanist. He has taught courses in music theory and cognition, computer science, and digital studies at Yale University, University of Colorado–Boulder, University of Mary Washington, and Charleston Southern University. He holds a PhD from Yale University.
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Data versus Democracy
Book Subtitle: How Big Data Algorithms Shape Opinions and Alter the Course of History
Authors: Kris Shaffer
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-4540-8
Publisher: Apress Berkeley, CA
eBook Packages: Professional and Applied Computing, Apress Access Books, Professional and Applied Computing (R0)
Copyright Information: Kris Shaffer 2019
Softcover ISBN: 978-1-4842-4539-2Published: 03 July 2019
eBook ISBN: 978-1-4842-4540-8Published: 02 July 2019
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XVII, 120
Number of Illustrations: 2 b/w illustrations
Topics: Algorithms, Big Data/Analytics, Big Data, Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery