Social networking is a staple of modern life, but its continued evolution is becoming increasingly detrimental to our lives. Shifts in communication, identity, and privacy are affecting us more than we realize. Tonight at 6pm at the Clinton School, Jacob Silverman will discuss this in a program entitled “Terms of Service: Social Media and the Price of Constant Connection.”

“Terms of Service” crystalizes the current moment in technology and contemplates what is to come: our newly adopted view of daily life through the lens of what’s share-worthy and the surveillance state operated by social media platforms to mine our personal data for advertising revenue.

Integrating politics, sociology, national security, pop culture, and technology, Silverman explores the surprising conformity at the heart of Internet culture, explaining how social media companies engineer their products to encourage shallow engagement and discourage dissent, and reflects on the implications of the collapsed barriers between our private and public lives.

A book signing will follow the discussion.