Life after Privacy
Reclaiming Democracy in a Surveillance Society

'In 2020, more so than in 1984, the Big Brother is watching you. But does this really matter? - asks Firmin DeBrabander’s pungent new book. Ranging from intellectual history to contemporary economics, from Big Data to Big Politics, from confession to contestation, Life After Privacy argues that we should finally begin caring for the public realm, rather than obsessing about intrusions into the private domain, which is something of a political fiction. If there is a work with the potential to reframe the very terms of the current debate on privacy, it is the one you are now holding in your hands!' Michael Marder, author of Political Categories: Thinking Beyond Concepts

'This book makes accessible a counter-intuitive (perhaps even seemingly-contrarian) argument about privacy that deserves a hearing. Not all readers will agree with DeBrabander's conclusion that privacy is pretty much dead. But this is a view murmured often enough in Silicon Valley to warrant serious attention. DeBrabander understands our skepticisms but skillfully argues that we are inexorably drawn to this conclusion nonetheless. Those who care deeply about privacy, as well as those who look forward to the transparent society, will learn much from this book's subtle arguments. And remember: the best philosophy books are the ones that strike you as implausible by their title but leave you convinced after you've read them.' Colin Koopman, author of How We Became Our Data

'Life After Privacy does a good job of setting our angst in a historical or philosophical setting.' Richard Waters, Financial Times

'This is public philosophy at its best.' Paul Showler, LSE Review of Books

‘… if you are interested in contemporary debates over surveillance or data, this book will serve you well. Indeed, it is likely to generate some much-needed soul-searching, or perhaps even the deletion of an app or two. It will also be a valuable read for anyone keen to think through the relationship between democracy and the public sphere …’ Everet Smith , Ethics and Information Technology