Obfuscation - BookWyrm

123 pages

English language

Published Nov. 7, 2015 by MIT Press.

ISBN:: 978-0-262-02973-5
OCLC Number:: 907512525

(5 reviews)

With Obfuscation, Finn Brunton and Helen Nissenbaum mean to start a revolution. They are calling us not to the barricades but to our computers, offering us ways to fight today's pervasive digital surveillance -- the collection of our data by governments, corporations, advertisers, and hackers. To the toolkit of privacy protecting techniques and projects, they propose adding obfuscation: the deliberate use of ambiguous, confusing, or misleading information to interfere with surveillance and data collection projects. Brunton and Nissenbaum provide tools and a rationale for evasion, noncompliance, refusal, even sabotage -- especially for average users, those of us not in a position to opt out or exert control over data about ourselves. Obfuscation will teach users to push back, software developers to keep their user data safe, and policy makers to gather data without misusing it. --Publisher

2 editions

michiel reviewed Obfuscation by Finn Brunton

Not a practical guide, in spite of what the title says

4 stars

The book starts with a compact overview of what obfuscation is, and why it might be a good privacy-enhancing strategy. But considerable space is devoted to discussing the moral framework in which you might choose to use obfuscation.

Most non-fiction books, especially those trying to argue a point, tend to gloss over details. While reading them, your mind starts to form counter-arguments. "That's a bit convenient, " you might think. "But what about...?"

In Helen Nissenbaum's writing, you'll find that she's anticipated your "what about ...?". In fact, she's anticipated the counter-arguments of someone considerably smarter than you. And she'll explain the contrary view in detail, with great kindness, before taking it apart piece by piece. And then she'll move on to a counter-argument you hadn't even thought of.

All of this does not make for light reading. Don't let the small size of this book (70-ish pages excluding footnotes) …

The book starts with a compact overview of what obfuscation is, and why it might be a good privacy-enhancing strategy. But considerable space is devoted to discussing the moral framework in which you might choose to use obfuscation.

Most non-fiction books, especially those trying to argue a point, tend to gloss over details. While reading them, your mind starts to form counter-arguments. "That's a bit convenient, " you might think. "But what about...?"

In Helen Nissenbaum's writing, you'll find that she's anticipated your "what about ...?". In fact, she's anticipated the counter-arguments of someone considerably smarter than you. And she'll explain the contrary view in detail, with great kindness, before taking it apart piece by piece. And then she'll move on to a counter-argument you hadn't even thought of.

All of this does not make for light reading. Don't let the small size of this book (70-ish pages excluding footnotes) fool you. But still recommended.