Ten Arguments For Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now

By: Jaron Lanier

Narrated by: Oliver Wyman

Length: 4 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

Random House presents the audiobook edition of Ten Arguments For Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now by Jaron Lanier, read by Oliver Wyman.

Jaron Lanier, the world-famous Silicon Valley scientist-pioneer and 'high-tech genius' (Sunday Times) who first alerted us to the dangers of social media, explains why its toxic effects are at the heart of its design and explains in 10 simple arguments why liberating yourself from its hold will transform your life and the world for the better.

Social media is making us sadder, angrier, less empathetic, more fearful, more isolated and more tribal. In recent months it has become horribly clear that social media is not bringing us together - it is tearing us apart. In Ten Arguments For Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now, Jaron Lanier draws on his insider's expertise to explain precisely how social media works - by deploying constant surveillance and subconscious manipulation of its users - and why its cruel and dangerous effects are at the heart of its current business model and design. As well as offering 10 simple arguments for liberating yourself from its addictive hold, his witty and urgent manifesto outlines a vision for an alternative that provides all the benefits of social media without the harm.

So, if you want a happier life, a more just and peaceful world, or merely the chance to think for yourself without being monitored and influenced by the richest corporations in history, then the best thing you can do, for now, is delete your social media accounts - right now. You will almost certainly become a calmer and possibly a nicer person in the process.

©2018 Jaron Lanier (P)2018 Random House Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"A blisteringly good, urgent, essential read." (Zadie Smith)

Interesting books, nicely read

And I enjoyed it, in big part thanks to the reading and the optimistic look, while talking about such issues.

I do want to note I see gaps in the narrative - he keeps talking about how social media is bad, as if TV and newspaper are perfect - yet I believe this is far from being true ( see 1984 written much before social media). Anything you consume is provided by someone with interests, and in FB I actually understand better who wrote each thing. Still, lots of interesting read.

Mandatory read for our era

I highly recommend this book. This book was written by one of the most brilliant minds of Silicon Valley. Someone who knows tricks of the trade and is An insider when it comes to social media companies. The problem which he choose to talk about in this book Is a source of vexation for almost who has a smart phone in their pocket.