Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Friday 26 July 2019

‘The Great Hack’ explores the dark side of big data

By LINDSEY BAHR entire film is about how our internet connection knows
Associated Press personal data is being ma- that of course every click,
Thinking about finally get- nipulated and turned into every search and every
ting off of Facebook? “The fearmongering tactics. purchase is being stored,
Great Hack ,” a new docu- Directed by Karim Amer saved, sold and commod-
mentary on Netflix, might and Jehane Noujaim, itized for companies who
just be the push you were “The Great Hack” dives want to sell you more,
looking for. At the very into the Cambridge Ana- and better. But he is the
least, you’ll probably never lytica scandal and why it one who wondered how
take another online per- matters. By relying mostly a U.K. data company had
sonality test. It’s meant to on news reports, many by somehow gained enough
scare and influence you, journalist Carole Cadwal- information to brag that it
and probably even for ladr, and public testimony, had 5,000 data points on
good reason — although the film might not be all This image released by Netflix shows David Carroll, associate every U.S. voter and could
it is a little ironic that the that revelatory for anyone professor at Parsons School of Design, in a scene from “The “predict the personality of
Great Hack.” every person in the United
Associated Press States” and then actually
who followed the story this documentary crew — did something about it. He
and watched Mark Zucker- about what she knows and asked if he could see his
berg’s congressional testi- how her old colleagues are voter profile. When Cam-
mony, however. lying about their involve- bridge Analytica declined,
But you do get to spend a ment in Brexit and other it became a red alarm.
significant time with the for- elections and what they’ve “The Great Hack” will help
mer Cambridge Analytica done with all the data they connect the dots be-
insider-turned-whistleblow- claimed to have deleted. tween these names that
er Brittany Kaiser, a young “The Great Hack” starts many may only be pas-
woman who was central out with so much promise sively aware of. It’s meant
in drawing up contracts as David Carroll, an asso- to alarm the public about
with the Trump campaign ciate professor at Parsons, how our data, our purchas-
and the right hand to the starts to question where all es, our likes and the “fun
charismatic CEO Alexan- this data that we all very personality quizzes” we
der Nix. She has since de- willingly share is going. The take are part of a digital
cided that she wants to re- narration is a little sentimen- footprint that tech compa-
gain a moral compass and tal and dreamy. nies are profiting off of and
speak to authorities — and Anyone with a pulse and an using to manipulate us. q

Nina Stibbe takes readers on

coming-of-age journey

By LINCEE RAY or answering the phones,
Associated Press Lizzie watches for Andy Ni-
“Reasons to Be Cheerful” colello. Andy is peculiar,
(Little Brown and Co.), by but Lizzie doesn’t mind. She
Nina Stibbe develops a friendship with
For some people, life begins him and as the months pass,
when you turn 18. Whether she falls head over heels for
you choose to leave the him. She’s not sure if Andy
nest, or you’re kicked out, notices, but he sure hangs
it’s a time when you’re ex- around a lot for someone
pected to experience the who may not be interest-
world. In “Reasons to Be ed. At times, she considers
Cheerful,” author Nina Stib- herself Andy’s girlfriend. In
be offers an intimate look other instances, she’s mysti-
at this uncertain time as fied about their status.
the protagonist becomes a This cover image released by Along with navigating
young adult. Little, Brown and Company through teen romance,
In this story, Lizzie Vogel shows “Reasons To Be Lizzie learns to maneuver
ignores the part of an ad- Cheerful,” by Nina Stibbe. other milestones that are
vertisement that asks for a Associated Press part of becoming an adult.
“mature lady” and applies He insists that Lizzie’s hyper She learns to drive, hosts her
for a job working in a local co-worker Tammy holds first dinner party and takes
dentist’s office. She doesn’t his cigarettes so his fingers her first step into maturity
feel the need to mention don’t smell like nicotine. when challenges arise.
that she doesn’t have any While Tammy and her boss’ Stibbe proves she can
knowledge of dentistry. odd relationship provide channel the mind of a
(Lizzie is a quick learner.) daily entertainment for young woman and takes
Plus, the position includes Lizzie, she also manages to the reader on a coming-
an apartment above the learn a few light dentistry of-age journey that plucks
practice. skills. When she’s not as- at the heartstrings of every
The dentist is gruff and firm. sisting in the surgery room, emotion.q