[Data] tracking can always be used by nefarious individuals or groups, but it is part of the way we live now. It is as though highways were also fraught with piracy. That’s the kind of thing we’re dealing with. This is the discussion of the era, and this book is smack in the middle of it.

Jon Stewart, The Daily Show

Former White House Chief Information Officer Payton and lawyer Claypoole, authors of Protecting Your Internet Identity, team up again to produce this quick and easy overview of data collection and its relevance in our everyday lives. The authors guide readers through the many ways our personal information is collected and used in today’s society. They are quick to point out the beneficial aspects of technological advancements in commercial, private, and government settings. However, any collection of personal data is susceptible to malicious use. The authors go on to elaborate on the everyday possibilities of hacking, wiretapping, and other big data strategies by marketers and cybercriminals. Most alarming are the implications of data mining for everyday citizens: cybercriminals can and will steal any information, through government or commercial enterprises. Payton and Claypoole provide practical tips and tools for protecting personal data throughout making this a perfect beginner’s guide for anyone looking to stay informed.

Publishers Weekly

Payton and Claypoole intend this book as an overview of the threats facing private citizens in the era of cloud computing and big data. Discussions of privacy in this time take as their departure point the problematic nature of cloud-based computing and of the storage of massive amounts of personal data by businesses, governments, and devices connected to the cloud. The threats reviewed include those associated with mobile access and tracking individuals’ locations, Internet viewing, and the ubiquity of cameras as peripherals on devices. The final section details mitigating risks to individual privacy and reviews legislative efforts that could help. VERDICT Well-researched and well-written, this timely and important addition to the literature on privacy and big data will resonate with researchers of information policy and related legislation.

Library Journal

I think people out there don’t realize there’s this whole underground economy out there, knives and daggers, people out there trying to get any piece of your data at any cost and at the end of the day we’re the ones who will pay the price. . . This is great advice.

The Willis Report, Fox Business

Privacy in the Age of Big Data is a valuable source of information, no matter how much you know about cybersecurity; for those who are just starting to protect their data, however, you won’t want to let this book out of your sight.

datascience@berkeley Blog, Berkeley School of Information

Privacy in the Age of Big Data: Recognizing Threats, Defending Your Rights, and Protecting Your Family provides a powerful reference focusing on privacy in the digital world, and is a fine pick for any who would consider the ramifications of how data is collected, stored and used. Current practices have created a level of data collection and surveillance never before used: while some of these methods are justified by protection and new services, others intrude on civil liberties. This book considers the pros and cons of new digital surveillance systems and analyzes the dangers of information tracking, offering readers insights into ways we are tracked, and how to change behaviors and activities to regain more privacy. It's an in-depth discussion that should be a part of any social issues or computer science library, offering much food for thought.

Midwest Book Review