SKU: 11362339933

The Black Box Society: The Secret Algorithms That Control Money And Information

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The Black Box Society: The Secret Algorithms That Control Money And InformationThe Black Box Society: The Secret Algorithms That Control Money And Information Every day, corporations are connecting the dots about our personal behaviorsilently scrutinizing clues left behind by our work habits and Internet use. The data compiled and portraits created are incredibly detailed, to the point of being invasive. But who connects the dots about what firms are doing with this information? The Black Box Society argues that we all need to

The Black Box Society: The Secret Algorithms That Control Money And Information

Every day, corporations are connecting the dots about our personal behavior—silently scrutinizing clues left behind by our work habits and Internet use. The data compiled and portraits created are incredibly detailed, to the point of being invasive. But who connects the dots about what firms are doing with this information? The Black Box Society argues that we all need to be able to do so—and to set limits on how big data affects our lives.

Hidden algorithms can make (or ruin) reputations, decide the destiny of entrepreneurs, or even devastate an entire economy. Shrouded in secrecy and complexity, decisions at major Silicon Valley and Wall Street firms were long assumed to be neutral and technical. But leaks, whistleblowers, and legal disputes have shed new light on automated judgment. Self-serving and reckless behavior is surprisingly common, and easy to hide in code protected by legal and real secrecy. Even after billions of dollars of fines have been levied, underfunded regulators may have only scratched the surface of this troubling behavior.

Frank Pasquale exposes how powerful interests abuse secrecy for profit and explains ways to rein them in. Demanding transparency is only the first step. An intelligible society would assure that key decisions of its most important firms are fair, nondiscriminatory, and open to criticism. Silicon Valley and Wall Street need to accept as much accountability as they impose on others.

'Recognized internationally as a landmark work of law and political economy.' - Commonweal

'If you are a person in America, then there are equations trying to learn more about you… Some of these equations work for private companies and some of them work for the government, but they all generate correlations based on your behavior… Frank Pasquale’s new book The Black Box Society is a tour of how computational intelligence has come to dominate three important parts of American life: reputation, search, and finance.' - New Republic

'Frank Pasquale’s notable new book, The Black Box Society, tries to come to grips with the dangers of ‘runaway data’ and ‘black box algorithms’ more comprehensively than any other book to date… It’s an important read for anyone who is interested in the hidden pitfalls of ‘big data’ and who wants to understand just how quantified our lives have become without our knowledge.' - Slate

'Everyone who uses the Internet for entertainment, education, news or commerce is implicated in a web of data collection whose breadth surpasses ordinary awareness… As [Pasquale’s] expose…shows, this is a society in which basic functions are performed in deliberate obscurity through the collection and algorithmic manipulation of personal data… In The Black Box Society, Pasquale finds reason to believe that even some of the most secretive and unresponsive institutions can be held to account. Elucidating the problem is a first step.' - Nature

'The Black Box Society offers a good dose of fresh thinking and may advance our debates over privacy. It also helps greatly that it is a good read, not just for those who are curious about privacy but also for those who are already familiar with the privacy literature.' - Science

'Frank Pasquale’s new book on the secret algorithms that motor the monstrous heart of big data is a timely work of non-fiction, a ‘true conspiracy’ about regulatory weakness in the face of technological hubris and greed.' - Flavorwire

'Pasquale has emerged as one of the go-to thinkers on Big Data and the algorithmic economy, and The Black Box Society (along with his Twitter feed) is a great—if discomfiting—place to start. You’ll come away overwhelmed by the speed and recklessness of data compilation and its uses and abuses.' - Flavorwire

'Required reading in many law school and computer science courses… Details how secret databases and little-known applications of AI algorithms have had harmful effects on finance, business, education, and politics. These opaque practices violate personal privacy, lower credit ratings, and make unfair or biased decisions on parole, mortgage, and job applications.' - Issues in Science and Technology

'By carefully breaking down ‘the business practices of leading Internet and finance companies, focusing on their use of proprietary reputation, search, and finance technologies,’ Pasquale pulls off an amazing feat of explanation, simultaneously and seamlessly explaining how and why black boxes exist, as well as what they can control and what happens when society entrusts black box technology with consequential decisions and hands immense power to the black box firms of Silicon Valley and Wall Street… The Black Box Society is a first-rate work of synthesis, combining ideas from law and economics, interpretive social science, science studies, and the philosophy of technology into an essential study of the political economy of information.' - Law Library Journal

'The Black Box Society is a frightening portrait of the ever more powerful shadowy world that blocks light from reaching our everyday lives. It is also a call to action, with a range of suggestions that inevitably pale in comparison to the gargantuan task at hand. But small steps sometimes have outsize consequences. Just ask the folks who control what we see, influence what we buy, and determine whether we can pay for it.' - Reading the Markets

'The algorithmic control that law scholar Frank Pasquale eloquently and intelligently details and analyzes goes beyond money information and into almost every aspect of our lives. For this reason, although it might appear merely to be a book about technology and finance, The Black Box Society, ultimately, is a radical and political work that deserves wide attention… The Black Box Society includes, for example, a fine explanation of the way that corporate and government surveillance work in concert and why we should be concerned about both… [Pasquale’s] brutal on the subject of the NSA, but devastating in his critique of Facebook, Twitter and Google and the myths that continue to surround them: myths of neutrality, myth about the ephemeral nature of their power and more. His analysis of search is pointed and poignant, underlining that we need to understand it better and treat search results more critically and sceptically… Pasquale’s detailed analyses, and his recipes not just for transparency but also for accountability, for more rigour in regulation and harder-hitting enforcement, deserve a careful read—and then action.' - Times Higher Education

'This book by Pasquale is disturbing. The premise is that corporate and public unchecked use of computer algorithms to collect and analyze data harms the public… Pasquale calls out Google, Facebook, and the financial industry for unchecked use of data to make profits and broken promises of privacy protection.' - Library Journal

SPECIFICATIONS:

Author:Frank Paskual - Фрэнк Паскуале

Publisher:Harvard University Press

Language:English

Publication Date:2016

Number of pages:320 pst

Format:Paperback

Width:156 mm / 6,1'

Height:235 mm / 9,3'

Weight:345 g

ISBN:9780674970847

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SKU: 11362339933

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Orlando J.
Massapequa, US
★★★★★ 5
Great design for a kitchen sink organizer -- will not tip or accumulate water
We've had an Oxo kitchen sink organizer for years, and it's been fine, except 1) tall brushes (for example, Oxo brushes) make it tippy, stray elbows or imperfect placement of the brush would knock it into the sink and 2) it built up a soapy sludge in the bottom that that had to be drained and wiped down constantly. This item solves both issues perfectly. Likes: Size - I think it's about 5 inches deep, which is just right to fit the strip of countertop that runs behind the sink, up against the backsplash Weight - The drying stone in the bottom gives the baskets some real heft, so there is no tipping it over by bumping a brush handle -- it really stays put Drying stone -- The diatomaceous drying stone that slides into the bottom of the main basket is a great idea. These are porous stones that will absorb water and then allow it to evaporate fairly quickly. So far, it seems to be doing its job well. I'm sure the stone will need a wipe down now and then to stay clean, but no puddles of sludgy soapy water in the bottom is a big plus Overall Design/Build quality -- The unit seems solid. It's a simple design, but there are no sharp edges or unfinished bits. Once in place it doesn't wobble a bit. I wasn't sure about the black powder-coated finish, but installed it looks clean and it's unobtrusive. I appreciate that the smaller basket for tall brushes sits on hooks and can be hung inside or outside the main basket. Ours sits inside, but there's plenty of room left over for sponges . And there's still room to stand up a bottle of liquid detergent or counter-top spray. NOT SO LIKES Nothing so far. I notice a lot of this style of sink organizer on Amazon, so presumably they're selling well. It's a great improvement over the older kinds. Five big, clean, well-organized stars. Highly recommended.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2025
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the_Mrs.C
Birmingham, US
★★★★★ 5
Love it!
This fits on my counter perfectly! It’s built well and hold so much things!
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Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2026
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Amazon Customer
Alexandria, US
★★★★★ 5
Works well
Works well
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Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2026
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froggydog2
Natrona Heights, US
★★★★★ 5
Great looking sink organizer.
Works perfectly on the edge of my sink. Holds everything I need to contain for using in and around sink area. Nice looking and very functional A+++++++++
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Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2025
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Crystal
Fort Morgan, US
★★★★★ 5
Great addition to the sink
I love the stone that absorbs the water
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Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2026

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