The Hidden History of Big Brother in America

The radio host and New York Times –bestselling author reveals how government and corporations misuse our personal data and how we can reclaim our privacy. Many Americans worry about how companies like Facebook invade their privacy and harvest their data, but few fully understand the details of how their information is used—and misused. In this thought-provoking book, Thom Hartmann reveals exactly how the government and corporations are tracking our every online move and using our data for purposes ranging from buying elections to monetizing our lives. Hartmann uses extensive, vivid examples to highlight the consequences of Big Data on all aspects of our lives, and traces the history of surveillance. As he explains, the goal of those who violate privacy and use surveillance is almost always social control and behavior modification. Along with covering the history, Hartmann shows how we got to where we are today, how China—with its new Social Credit System—serves as a warning, and how we can and must avoid a similarly dystopian future. By delving into the Constitutional right to privacy, Hartmann reminds us of our civil right and shows how we can restore it. “Expertly chronicles how Big Data coercively shapes our lives to profit off us . . . Hartmann’s urgent warning about the rise of the corporate-police state couldn’t be timelier.” —Maya Schenwar, coauthor of Prison by Any Other Name Praise for Thom Hartmann “Solid research.” — Publishers Weekly “Brilliant ideas and eloquent writing.”—John Perkins, author of Confessions of an Economic Hit Man