Hacking The Future: Privacy, Identity, And Anonymity On The Web

Trying to achieve balance on the issue of web anonymity, Stryker, a media consultant in New York City and author of Epic Win for Anonymous, writes in his new book of a 2011 cautionary statement by former marketing director of Facebook, Randi Zuckerberg: "I think people hide behind anonymity and they feel like they can say whatever they want behind closed doors. " Stryker explains how significant web anonymity is to those key companies who mine user data personal information of, for example, the millions of members on social networks. When cyberpunks and hackers join the digital fray, no secret is safe, whether it's the Church of Scientology or Mexican drug cartels. Stryker argues that legislation in Congress, such as the Do Not Track provision, could stymie opponents of unregulated online identity. In the end, Stryker mounts an impassioned, rational defense of web anonymity and digital free expression in his smart, detailed primer. (Oct.)