Some themes and discussion points from Great Hack:

• The Exchange of Data
• Search for Truth
• Behaviour Management
• Propaganda / Persuasion
• Regulation

> Who Owns the Future? (2013)

In his book Who Owns the Future? (2013), Lanier posits that by convincing users to give away valuable information about themselves in exchange for free services, firms can accrue large amounts of data at virtually no cost. Lanier calls these firms “Siren Servers”, alluding to the Sirens of Ulysses. Instead of paying each individual for their contribution to the data pool, the Siren Servers concentrate wealth in the hands of the few who control the data centres.

> Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now (2018)

As the name implies, Lanier is concerned about the influence of social media. In essence the claim is that platforms such as Twitter and Facebook have made their users cruder, less empathetic, more tribal. Lanier worries that reliance on social media platforms is reducing people’s capacity for spirituality, and that social media users are in essence turning into automated extensions of the platforms