"Captivating. An intriguing but disquieting look at a not too distant future when our thoughts will remain private, but computers will disclose our tastes, opinions, habits and quirks to curious parties, not all of whom have our best interests at heart" - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A fascinating outing of the hidden yet exploding world of digital surveillance. Read and resist" - Booklist (starred review)

"Baker's smart, readable style makes this a pleasure - it's a must read for anyone who wants to understand life and business in the Google Age" - Chris Anderson, Editor-in-Chief of Wired and author of The Long Tail

Every day, we produce loads of data about ourselves simply by living in the modern world: we click web pages, flip channels, drive through automatic toll booths, shop with credit cards, and make cell phone calls.

Now, in one of the greatest undertakings of the twenty-first century, a savvy group of mathematicians and computer scientists is beginning to sift through this data to profile us as workers, shoppers, patients, voters, potential terrorists, even lovers.

Their goal? To manipulate our behavior-what we buy, how we vote - without our even realizing it.

In this tour de force of original reporting and analysis, journalist Stephen Baker provides us with a fascinating guide to the world we're all entering and the people controlling that world.