Just how will digital systems influence and shape politics in the near future, and will this be to the detriment of mankind or to its advantage? Do we need to reign in the power we may inadvertently be giving to such systems and their controllers, or do we run with a new force in politics? These are the wide-ranging considerations that are studied academically in this readable and thoughtful book. Our lives are becoming more and more digitally connected, what with smartphones, computers, tablets, the internet of things and the expansion of the Cloud. We are giving over ever more and more data to systems which not only mine such data about ourselves but surveil our every move and mood. Are these really opportunities or should they be viewed as challenges? Are digital systems going to stymie politic debate by filtering the news and eliminating discretion, or are they going to provide valuable consultation for our political leaders? What effects will technology have on our freedom, on law enforcement and social justice?
Though entertaining and thought-provoking, the book could have made all its points at half the length and can often drift into sounding like lecture notes on political theory. Of major concern are the effects of such digital systems in the hands of authoritarian states. Much time is given to the possible stagnation of the jobs market as work is replaced by machines. The book certainly does open one’s eyes to possible scenarios that need thoughtful consideration now, since mankind is at a crossroads in its love affair with technology.