Last year, around this time, I was fully immersed in Edward Snowden’s Permanent Record, an excellent pick for anyone interested in privacy and state surveillance. After having ticked off a couple of bestsellers and even some of the classics (1984, grade 10 reading, anyone?), I really want to dive into some 2022 releases on data, privacy, and security. It never hurts to add more books to the list, right? So, without further ado, here are five new cybersecurity books I can’t wait to read.
Freedom to Think: The Long Struggle to Liberate Our Minds – Susie Alegre
Who’s in control of your mind? Is it you or something else? In Freedom to Think, international human rights lawyer Susie Alegre explores the way algorithms shape our everyday thinking—from who we choose to date to who we decide to vote for. The moment I heard about this book, it went right to the top of my TBR (to-be-read) list. Knowing a thing or two about big data, I figured I was aware of most threats to our personal privacy. But now it turns out that we can’t even control our own thinking? Though it sounds like something straight out of a Black Mirror episode, our modern online environment seems to be pushing us closer and closer to this reality. Susie Alegre, who has an impressive track record when it comes to pioneering digital rights, examines how big tech companies manipulate our freedom of thought, even without us realizing it. Algorithms, social media, and fake news campaigns pollute our reliable thinking every single day, which means that the right to make up our own minds is no longer guaranteed. Anyone looking to buy me a Christmas present this year, please add this one to your basket. I need to read it right away!
The Ransomware Hunting Team: A Band of Misfits’ Improbable Crusade to Save the World from Cybercrime – Renee Dudley and Daniel Golden
A non-fiction book that reads like a technological thriller? Sign me up! If you know what a ransomware attack is, you know how harmful it can be. Cybercriminals will lock people out of their personal files or even hold entire network systems hostage, only providing access to the owners again in exchange for staggering sums of money. But, as it turns out, even criminal hackers can be out-hacked! The Ransomware Hunting Team introduces us to an unlikely band of misfits. These ethical hackers take on the underworld of cybercriminality from their bedrooms and offices. Together with a German school drop-out and a computer science prodigy, frontman Michael Gillespie has recovered hacked files for millions of victims. In this new release by Renee Dudley and Daniel Golden, you’ll find out how. It sounds like the perfect read to me. Though I’ve never heard of these real-life heroes before, I can’t wait to get to know them. The Ransomware Hunting Team might just be the perfect page-turner for my winter holidays!
The Chaos Machine: The Inside Story of How Social Media Rewired Our Minds and Our World – Max Fisher
The title of The Chaos Machine says it all. We all know social media is bad for us, but do we really? As a writer for VPNOverview, I’m well-versed in the negative effects of social media. Especially when it comes to kids and social media, the risks are endless. And yet I still use social media every single day. Why is this the case? Why can’t I seem to quit something that I know is ultimately bad for me? In this well-praised new release, Max Fisher reveals just how far-reaching the hands of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other social media networks really are. The Chaos Machine delves into the different ways the private sector, driven by profit, deliberately preys on our consumer data, hoping to influence our opinions and actions. It also details how political extremism and hate speech fester online as a result. As someone who’s interested in the shadow side of social media and the way these platforms are weaponized to get inside our heads, I can’t wait to learn more!
The Fight for Privacy: Protecting Dignity, Identity, and Love in the Digital Age – Danielle Keats Citron
Since a couple of months, I’ve been part of a reading group that primarily reads feminist non-fiction. In the world of technology, cybersecurity, and data, there’s not nearly enough attention paid to the fact that women and non-binary people are disproportionately affected or at risk. But now, The Fight for Privacy by Danielle Keats Citron is here! This book is not just about any data. The Fight for Privacy shows that consumer privacy is not only a matter of our browsing history. Data collection affects our health, our bodies, and our relationships on a much larger scale. The more corporations collect sensitive data, or what Citron calls “intimate data,” the more power they can exert over us. As a result, technology moves beyond our screens and into our bathrooms and bedrooms. It’s a system of digital services that, too often, leaves women, LGBTQ+ people, and marginalized communities, shamed and powerless. At my reading club, it’s one of our most anticipated upcoming selections!
The Age of AI and Our Human Future – Henry A. Kissinger, Eric Schmidt, and Daniel Huttenlocher
When I was six, my older brother made me watch “A.I. Artificial Intelligence,” a movie about a highly advanced little robot boy that longs to be part of a real family. Though too young to fully understand the story, I remember being absolutely fascinated by it. Can we really create robots that are indistinguishable from humans? This question is at the center of The Age of AI and Our Human Future. Featuring a trifecta of notable voices — former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, former CEO of Google Eric Schmidt, and Daniel P. Huttenlocher, the Dean of MIT’s College of Computing — this book takes a close look at the future of AI systems. At some point, artificial intelligence is expected to be on par with, and even surpass, human proficiency. What will this future look like? What are the risks and benefits? This book might just be the perfect way to find out more! Have you read any good books recently? Leave us a comment with your personal recommendations!
