Profiling

Philippe Huneman is Director of Research at the Institut d'Histoire et de Philosophie des Sciences et des Techniques (CNRS/Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne), and the author, most recently of Why: The Philosophy Behind the Question (Stanford, 2023).

"Human lives are increasingly constituted by flows of data. I can't think of any other treatment of this phenomenon that ranges so widely—and that manages to take its subject matter so seriously—while also handling it with a lightness of touch and a keen eye for an arresting anecdote. This is a remarkable book: erudite, entertaining, and profoundly disquieting."—Tim Lewens, author of The Meaning of Science "Huneman is a remarkable historian of science, and has also become an important commentator on current affairs. Profiling is an essential work." —Stefanos Geroulanos, author of The Invention of Prehistory "I highly recommend this eloquent and engaging book. Not only does Profiling unravel the complex mechanisms of digital servitude, but it does so in a straightforward and accessible way." —Bruno Perreau, author of Spheres of Injustice "The philosopher Philippe Huneman... demonstrates how we have become captive to data flows and aggregators, whether commercial corporations or public authorities. We are consumers consumed, evaluators evaluated, influencers influenced, all optimized by algorithms that establish blind correlations. Profiling is about aiming for an effect, a like, a purchase, a decision, a vote, in the absence of knowledge: 'content' replaces 'information.' A cult of efficiency that, according to Huneman, must be resisted." —Philosophie magazine"[Huneman] underscores the stakes through disturbing examples of data misuse, including data brokers who sold a list of rape victims to pharmaceutical companies, allowing them to target patients as potential buyers of antidepressants and other medications.... The breadth of Huneman's exploration is impressive.... [H]e offers striking anecdotes, timely critiques, and moments of sharp insight." —Publishers Weekly

• Introduction: When Code Is LawSection I: Profiles, Profilers, Profiling1. Traces, Data, Big Data, Datafication—and Their Flip Side2. Aggregators, Predators, and Scores3. Correlations and Predictions4. Clouds and Profiling5. Digital Paternalism?Section II: The Profiled6. Influencers and Communities7. Deference and the Advent of Curators8. Figures of TemporalitySection III: Reality in the Age of Flows9. Streams, Arms Races, and Algorithms10. Looping and Truth11. Authenticity Among ProfilesConclusion: Enclosing the Flow, Opening the LoopsA Note on ReferencesAcknowledgments and a Note About the History of This BookNotes