Summary of Dataclysm: Who We Are (When We Think No One’s Looking)

Dataclysm: Who We Are (When We Think No One’s Looking) by journalist and data scientist Christian Rudder seeks to explore the social implications of our digital traces. It delves into how a society-wide digital data set is overloading scientific research and ultimately affecting our privacy, and how that data can be harnessed to paint a vivid and revealing picture of who we are. The book examines the degree to which people’s online public personas differ from their private selves, and delves into the power of data to reveal ethically dubious conclusions. Throughout the book, Rudder deploys personal anecdotes and combines them with sweeping infographics to explore the variety of sources of information that exist about ourselves on the Internet, and how our digital footprints are shaping our lives and shaping society.