New book chronicles eroding trust online in age of Snowden and surveillance

4 October 2016 – Internet security breaches happen almost daily. Edward Snowden’s revelations that the US National Security Agency and other government organizations are spying on Internet users fundamentally changed what Internet users do and say online. Acts of cyber-crime and data theft threaten online privacy and pose real risks to keeping the Internet open and secure. The collection and use of data on people’s online habits by companies such as Facebook, Google or Amazon contribute further still to our loss of faith in the Internet.

Illustrated with telling anecdotes on why Internet users are losing trust and the impact this has on Internet use, Look Who’s Watching explores the hack of Ashley Madison profiles, the growth of cyber mercenaries, national security breaches, the future of the Internet of Things, and the explosion of the Dark Net and its faceless audience of users who are using it for both illicit activities and social change.

The social and commercial capital of the Internet is unparalleled, but only if we continue to trust that the network is safe, secure, private, reliable and does what we want. Fen Osler Hampson and Eric Jardine argue that restoring trust in the Internet is not just necessary, but imperative. Based on extensive research and two major opinion polls of more than 24,000 people in 24 countries, Look Who’s Watching presents a compelling and accessible journey through the Internet.

Look Who’s Watching is for anyone interested in how the Internet really works, the benefits and the dangers it poses to society, and crucially, what the future of the Internet could and should look like. To read more about this book and order your copy today, please visit: https://www.cigionline.org/publications/look-whos-watching-surveillance-treachery-and-trust-online