Human Agency In A Digital World
Download Human Agency In A Digital World PDF/ePub or read online books in Mobi eBooks. Click Download or Read Online button to get Human Agency In A Digital World book now. This website allows unlimited access to, at the time of writing, more than 1.5 million titles, including hundreds of thousands of titles in various foreign languages.
Human Agency in a Digital World
Author: Marcus Fontoura
language: en
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Release Date: 2025-12-23
This may be the first true AI-era self-help book—not because we need help using technology, but because we need help using it well. It's about building the knowledge—and the confidence—to question, to evaluate, to choose. Because understanding how algorithms work is the first step in making sure they work for us. Human Agency in a Digital World is a book about reclaiming our role—not as passengers, but as pilots—in the fast-moving journey of technological change. Written by a computer scientist who is also a father, a teacher, and a lifelong student of how things work, this book is a deeply personal and accessible guide to the systems shaping our lives—and how we might shape them back. We are surrounded by digital agents. They suggest the next song, answer our questions, sort our emails, recommend what to watch, and—often invisibly—shape what we think. But what do we know about them? And how much power do we really have to question, understand, or even redirect their impact? In this book, Marcus Fontoura explores the hidden architectures of modern life—from social media and search engines to cloud computing, AI, and quantum technologies—uncovering both how they work and what they mean. Drawing from decades of experience building the backbone of the internet and cloud platforms, he demystifies the core concepts that govern today's systems and offers readers a way to develop digital fluency without needing a computer science degree. But this is not just a book about machines. It's a book about people-about how we use efficiency not just to optimize for speed or cost, but to unlock creativity, opportunity, and well-being. With examples ranging from broken playlists to protein folding, and reflections that move fluidly between systems thinking and everyday life, Digital Agency asks us to consider a simple but profound question: what do we want technology to do for us, and what will we do with it in return?
The Sentient Web
Imagine a world where technology and humanity intertwine, a place where the internet is not just a tool, but a partner in our shared experience. Welcome to "The Sentient Web: AI, Ethics, and the Future of the Internet". As we propel further into the digital age, this comprehensive exploration delves into the heart of the digital transformation that's redefining our world. It navigates the realm of Artificial Intelligence, cyber ethics, and the emergence of a symbiotic relationship between human and machine agency. "The Sentient Web" presents a compelling look into how we might balance freedom and control in an age of autonomous systems, and uncovers the unintended consequences of automation while tackling the massive challenges inherent in regulating a world-wide-web that continues to evolve at an astounding pace. As we explore the profound implications of a sentient web, we must be sure to create a digital world that reflects the best of who we are, and the world we wish to live in. "The Sentient Web: AI, Ethics, and the Future of the Internet" is more than just a book—it's a thought-provoking journey, an exploration, and a call to action. Dive in, and join the conversation about the future of our digital world. This is your invitation to the frontier of our shared digital future. Don't just witness the transformation, be a part of it!
Women in the Digital World
Women’s existence in the digital world has been closely studied by scholars and attracted the attention of activists worldwide. Women, like men, early on saw the Internet as a potentially powerful and liberating tool that would help them find groups or communities with similar aims and interests. Today there is more awareness of the deleterious effects of unconstrained online speech such as online violence, ridicule, silencing, and threats against women. Women in the Digital World brings together the latest academic research on women online and includes chapters on political speech, gendered online violence, dealing with sexual assaults, marginalization of women politicians, and how women participate (or don’t) via online environments. The interdisciplinary research in this volume brings together communications studies, gender studies, sociology, politics, and computer science and is essential reading for those seeking to understand a growing field. The book should be of interest also for activists and NGOs who seek to deepen their knowledge on the place of females online. It was originally published as a special issue of the journal Information, Communication & Society.