The Ministry of Truth | NEW BOOK | June 7, 2022

The Ministry of Truth
BigTech’s Influence on Facts, Feelings and Fictions
Vincent F. Hendricks & Camilla Mehlsen
New York: Springer Nature
Publication date: June 7, 2022
Pages VIII, 222
ISBN: 978-3-030-98628-5
Pre-order Amazon.com or Amazon.de
The Ministry of Truth scrutinizes the information market in the era of the attention economy calling on citizens, public educators and politicians to action in averting the role of BigTech in critical infrastructure. Through phenomena such as influencers, ‘fake news’ and covid conspiracies, the authors reveal how social platforms control facts, feelings and narratives in our time to such a degree that they are the de facto arbiters of truth. BigTech seemingly controls the information infrastructure and also decides what we pay attention to.
The authors suggest hope for a more democratic internet through their systematic analysis of the largest players of the information age. The aim is to amplify human agency for a robust deliberative democracy — not version 2.0 — but a lasting version with staying power. This book appeals to the general interest reader and professional invested in the mobilization of responsible technological development.
First physical copies, 09.06.2022
- Provides an in-depth analysis of the attention economy and information market
- Surveys BigTech businesses as potential arbiters of truth challenging democracies
- Written in a clear, crisp and concise style for a broad audience of laymen and professionals alike
Table of Content
Acknowledgements
About the Authors
List of Figures and Tables
- Prologue
- Chapter 1. From Citizen to User in the Marketplace of Ideas
- Chapter 2. From User to Product in the Era of Attention Economy
- Chapter 3. Designed Denial: Infodemics and Fake News
- Chapter 4. Boobs and Borderline Contents
- Chapter 5. Influencers and Superspreaders
- Chapter 6. Clandestine Casino
- Chapter 7. Arbiters of Truth
- Chapter 8. Now What!?
- References
Press and Publications
- Probing the Ministry of Truth / Interview / Vincent F. Hendricks, Firewalls don't stop Dragons, podcast, 15.05.2023
- Vincent Hendricks with Shalom Klein on Get Down To Business / Interview / Vincent F. Hendricks / WIND-AM Chicago, 18.12.2022
- Twitter has spent years trying to combat health misinformation. Will Musk’s takeover make that harder? / Interview / Vincent F. Hendricks, STATnews, 01.11.2022
- Targetted ad marketing / Article / Vincent F. Hendricks, Indian Management, October 2022, 18.10.2022
- The Ministry of Truth / Interview / Vincent F. Hendricks / Mornings on Maine Street, WDUN, Gainsville, GA, 12.09.2022
- The Ministry of Truth / Interview / Vincent F. Hendricks / The Morning Show with Doug Wagner, AM600 WMT News Radio, 07.09.2022
- Social Media, Information Markets, and the Attention Economy / Interview / Vincent F. Hendricks / Podcast / Social Media and Politics, 04.09.2022
- How To Stop Your Damaging 'Doom Scrolling' Habit / Interview / Vincent F. Hendricks, Investors Business Daily, 02.09.2022
- The Ministry of Truth / Interview / Vincent F. Hendricks / Podcast / EverydayMBA, 27.08.2022
- The Ministry of Truth / Interview / Vincent F. Hendricks / Podcast / The Voice of Reason with Andy Hooser, 24.08.2022
- A New SDG: Sustainable Tech / Op-ed / Vincent F. Hendricks, OECD Forum, 23.08.2022
- The Ministry of Truth / Interview / Vincent F. Hendricks / Podcast / Savvy Broadcasting, 28.07.2022
- The Attention Economy with Vincent F. Hendricks & Camilla Mehlsen / Interview / Podcast with Ethan Zuckerman, Initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure, 29.06.2022
- The Ministry of Truth and BigTech / Op-ed / Vincent F. Hendricks, OECD Forum, 27.06.2022
- The Gospel of Matthew in Attention Economy / Op-ed / Vincent F. Hendricks, OECD Forum, 01.06.2022
- BigTech Business Model, Big Deal, Big Trouble / Op-ed / Vincent F. Hendricks, OECD Forum, 04.05.2022
- Hit'm where it Hurts: Taking the Hammer to BigTech / Op-ed / Vincent F. Hendricks, OECD Forum, 11.04.2022
- The Nuts and Bolts of Attention Economy / Op-ed / Vincent F. Hendricks, OECD Forum, 01.04.2022
- Calling out the ”BS” in Information Warfare / Op-ed / Vincent F. Hendricks, OECD Forum, 15.03.2022
- The Marketplace of Ideas in the Age of Information / Op-ed / Vincent F. Hendricks, OECD Forum, 15.02.2022
- Critical (Democractic) Infrastructure and BigTech / Op-ed / Vincent F. Hendricks, OECD Forum Network, 01.02.2022
- Turning the Tables: Using BigTech community standards as friction strategies / Op-ed / Vincent F. Hendricks. OECD Forum, 20.12.2021