A decidedly important yet accessible work on what privacy means today, and what happens with our data when we don't protect it. A must-read for marketers, politicians, and anyone who leaves digital footprints across the databases of our world.

A fascinating exploration of just how much data about ourselves we are unwittingly giving away and how itis being used to control our decisions. Everyone should read this to understand how to retake control over their own lives.

This is a surprisingly pleasant easy to read book. At first I thought that it would includes lots of academic jargons but I was glad to experience the satisfying flow of information and stories to reinforce the topic. Moreover, it also provides a thorough explanation of the topic without me getting bored even a single time.

A deeply researched, sometimes alarming, look into the data that we enrich from just browsing the internet and having social media accounts. Good read for those concerned about what the latest technology is taking from us in exchange for greater innovation and convenience.

Technology is an amazing tool for understanding each person. If we look at profiles on social networks or search engine results, we can find a lot of information. For example, a particularly colorful feed suggests a certain type of personality, while choosing a noisy bar over a quieter one is a sign of something else. This leads to interesting arguments about data and its use and what implications it may conceal.

Matz spent 10 years doing his research, talking to people and collecting info about the pros and cons of having all this data online. In the book, he shares some thoughtful advice, calm ideas, and a few more alarmist points.

The writing style is really positive, calm, clear, and objective, which makes it easy to dive into the complex issues.Overall, it's a thorough and interesting look at the behind-the-scenes data that we all help to enrich every day with our online presence.

Mindmasters examines the myriad types of data that are being collected on us every day. Then it delves into how corporations are interpreting this data - essentially categorizing us - and then using it to target us psychologically, based on the composition of our profiles. The author was one of the first researchers to study this kind of psychological targeting, and thus she is a wellspring of reliable information. I found this to be extremely eye-opening, and will be re-evaluating my own digital footprint. Fascinating look at the potentially lasting consequences of what we thought were minor decisions. Everyone should read this. Awareness is key!

This book followed a 3 part sequence into an exploration of what technology and data are like. The sections included tips and questions to further your thinking about how technology and data can change our lives. The author provided some examples of these scenarios both from his own experience as well as those of others.
I can see how different technologies and data can shape our universe however I just didn't connect with the writing style this book provided. I would have liked a more structured approach to the provision of information. However, that is just my preference.

This book reveals how the small actions we take every day, like our habits and preferences, leave digital traces that say a lot about who we are. It explains psychological targeting, a technology that uses these traces to predict our personality and behavior. It’s fascinating but also a bit unsettling.

What really stood out to me was how it showed that even avoiding social media isn’t enough to protect your privacy. The ways we’re being tracked go far beyond the internet, and it’s surprising how much can be uncovered about us.

The book also talks about solutions, though I wish it had gone deeper into this.

An important read for anyone curious about the digital age.

I found this book insightful and thought-provoking. Matz covers how our personality traits can usually be seen in the words we use in social media, how colors and types of photos posted can also determine the same. Then, she really dives into what data is pulled and how it can determine things about us. If you’re extroverted, would you rather be at a loud coffee shop or a slow paced one? Using things like google search may show us the one we would like most based on things like that. With all of the data our apps are pulling… the point of data safety and ethics are mentioned. Even though some of the points are freaky and very Black Mirror-y, she also focuses on the good that more data collection could give us as demonstrated in Swiss collection of medical data — but I doubt that would work in capitalist USA.

If you’re a fan of Dan Ariely or Seth Stephens-Davidowitz, you’ll probably enjoy this one.

"Mindmasters" by Sandra Matz is a thought-provoking and timely exploration of how Big Data and psychological targeting shape our modern lives. Matz, a professor at Columbia Business School, masterfully blends personal storytelling with cutting-edge research to shed light on the deep and often unseen ways algorithms influence our behaviors, emotions, and decisions.

What makes this book stand out is its balanced approach. Rather than demonizing technology or glorifying its potential, Matz presents a nuanced, engaging view of psychological targeting. She draws from real-life examples and groundbreaking studies to explain how algorithms—like those used in marketing and politics—are not only penetrating our most intimate thoughts but also helping us make healthier and more informed decisions.

Her clear and relatable style makes complex concepts like computational psychology and behavioral prediction easy to understand. The book is packed with fascinating insights, from the infamous Cambridge Analytica scandal to more positive uses of data, such as improving mental health and promoting financial well-being. Matz takes readers on a journey that makes you rethink what’s really happening behind the scenes in the digital world.

What I found particularly compelling is Matz's focus on empowerment. While the book highlights the potential dangers of data-driven targeting, it also offers hope by showing how we can regain control over our data and personal choices. She provides actionable strategies for navigating the digital landscape in a way that allows us to harness the benefits of these tools while protecting our autonomy.

"Mindmasters" is an essential read for anyone curious about the intersection of technology, psychology, and privacy. Matz not only opens our eyes to the hidden forces influencing us but also equips us with the knowledge to take back mastery over our lives. It's a brilliant, insightful book that will leave you questioning how much of your daily life is shaped by algorithms—and how you can regain control.

I had mis-anticipated the content of this book when I requested for a review copy on Netgalley. As always Harvard Business School Publishing has promptly released the book for my review - Thank you!

I loved the book - so much that I covered it in the time I normally cover thriller fiction. There is so much going on in every page of this book. So many facts related to our interactions with the online world, and what that means today, and what it will mean tomorrow! Many of the insights covered by Sandra are not known to most of us when we are happily using location services, credit cards and other tools of convenience. We are mostly paying with our data to the obvious and not so obvious intermediaries in the whole process.

She covers how one can be easily profiled based on our posts and tweets online - and adding location, purchases etc a digital detective can easily reconstruct over identity and who we are as a person! She highlights how companies/labs can easily use such data shared inadvertently online, to psychologically target us. Though not completely reversing thought processes but planting seeds of an opposite thought. This can possibly have implications on things we buy or people we vote for, not overnight, but repeated messaging.

She cleverly lays down both the good and the bad sides of allowing data about us to be available for use online - there are benefits from helping us with mental, financial, safety aspects while we can lose so much more when it is used for bad. She suggests the need for more finer control over the privacy and data about users, and advocates the idea of data cooperatives where users can choose what data they share and gain benefits to the extent they share data. This is quite an interesting way to take care of this matter.. The way technology is evolving, the need for discussions on this aspect becomes very crucial - as we are already seeing with the overwhelming use of genAI in the last year!

In summary I found this to be an insightful book, covering my interest area of human behaviour and technology in one stroke. Highly recommend you to go through it.

This book was interesting. I learnt new things about data management, our digital lives and what it tells people. There is also a hint of the positive that all this data could be used for. I am looking forward to hearing about the next steps in this data evolution. Thank you to the author for sharing. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher.