You Are the Product
Article

You Are the Product

John Lanchester
London Review of Books, 2017
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Editorial Rating

9

Qualities

  • Innovative

Recommendation

Facebook claims that it seeks to “bring the world closer together.” But according to award-winning British journalist John Henry Lanchester, the company’s true purpose is much more mundane: to grow as a business and make as much money as it can. To that end, Facebook has acquired unprecedented capabilities to monitor and influence its two billion users. Will users and regulators rein it in? getAbstract recommends Lanchester’s devastating critique of one of the world’s most valuable companies to Facebook users, policy makers and political activists. 

Summary

Most of Facebook’s two billion active users poorly understand the company’s business model and its ethical implications. The company’s self-proclaimed mission to “give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together” obfuscates the company’s real driving principle: to grow and to make money.

Facebook has come under fire for its role in influencing voters during the 2016 US presidential elections. By connecting people with similar backgrounds and political preferences, Facebook has been contributing to political polarization. Facebook’s algorithms make users particularly susceptible to fake...

About the Author

John Henry Lanchester is an award-winning British journalist and novelist. 

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