This new collection of essays follows in the footsteps of the successful volume Thinking Ahead
- Essays on Big Data Digital Revolution and Participatory Market Society published at a time
when our societies were on a path to technological totalitarianism as exemplified by mass
surveillance reported by Edward Snowden and others. Meanwhile the threats have diversified and
tech companies have gathered enough data to create detailed profiles about almost everyone
living in the modern world - profiles that can predict our behavior better than our friends
families or even partners. This is not only used to manipulate peoples' opinions and voting
behaviors but more generally to influence consumer behavior at all levels. It is becoming
increasingly clear that we are rapidly heading towards a cybernetic society in which
algorithms and social bots aim to control both the societal dynamics and individual behaviors.