Manipulation
What It Is, Why It's Bad, What to Do About It
Published on 28. August 2025
Book
Hardback
219 pages
978-1-009-62021-5 (ISBN)
Description
New technologies are offering companies, politicians, and others unprecedented opportunity to manipulate us. Sometimes we are given the illusion of power - of freedom - through choice, yet the game is rigged, pushing us in specific directions that lead to less wealth, worse health, and weaker democracy. In, Manipulation, nudge theory pioneer and New York Times bestselling author, Cass Sunstein, offers a new definition of manipulation for the digital age, explains why it is wrong; and shows what we can do about it. He reveals how manipulation compromises freedom and personal agency, while threatening to reduce our well-being; he explains the difference between manipulation and unobjectionable forms of influence, including 'nudges'; and he lifts the lid on online manipulation and manipulation by artificial intelligence, algorithms, and generative AI, as well as threats posed by deepfakes, social media, and 'dark patterns,' which can trick people into giving up time and money. Drawing on decades of groundbreaking research in behavioral science, this landmark book outlines steps we can take to counteract manipulation in our daily lives and offers guidance to protect consumers, investors, and workers.
Reviews / Votes
'We are all familiar with manipulation, in politics, commerce, even our everyday lives. Yet it is hard to say either what manipulation is or what should be done about it. Cass Sunstein has given us a book that is both deep and wide-ranging, written with verve and charm. It is the best book yet on the ethical, legal, and policy aspects of manipulation.' T. M. Wilkinson, University of Auckland 'This outstanding book is a must-read for anyone interested in what manipulation is, why it's bad, and what to do about it. Drawing on Sunstein's extraordinary career in academia and government, it moves seamlessly through psychology, law, and public policy. The result is a groundbreaking combination of rigorous thinking about what manipulation is, and sensible, concrete proposals for combating it. Its clear and engaging writing will appeal equally to scholars, policymakers, and the general reader.' Robert Noggle, Professor of Philosophy, Central Michigan University, and author of Manipulation: Its Nature, Mechanisms, and Moral StatusMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Illustrations
Worked examples or Exercises
Dimensions
Height: 222 mm
Width: 145 mm
Thickness: 17 mm
Weight
447 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-009-62021-5 (9781009620215)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Cass R. Sunstein is the Robert Walmsley University Professor at Harvard. The most cited law professor in the world, he is the founder and director of the Program on Behavioral Economics and Public Policy at Harvard Law School. In 2018, he received the Holberg Prize from the government of Norway, sometimes described as the equivalent of the Nobel Prize for law and the humanities. During the Obama Administration, he served as Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. He is author of hundreds of articles and dozens of books, including several New York Times bestsellers.
Content
Preface; Part I. Theory: 1. Defining Manipulation; 2. Evaluating Manipulation; 3. The Right Not to be Manipulated; Part II. Applications: 4. Deepfakes: Manipulated by Technology; 5. Scarcity and Attention: Manipulated by Sludge; 6. The Barbie Problem: Manipulated by Social Pressure; Part III. The Future: 7. Manipulation-Free Nudging, 1; 8. Manipulation-Free Nudging, 2; 9. Artificial Intelligence: Promise and Threat; Epilogue: Preventing Theft.