For ALL the People

"A leader in digital communication and grassroots political campaigns explains how the internet and modern media have undermined America and how we can reclaim our voices for the good of civic life. The creators of the internet promised us jetpacks: better experiences, more choices, and deeper relationships. Built on a diversity of voices, our online freedom was supposed to spark a democratic transformation. For the first time, we had direct access to our leaders, our institutions, and each other in one shared network. But instead of jetpacks, we were given cat videos-and lots and lots of ads. Our platforms don't work for us-we're the inventory and our outrage fuels a tech revolution optimized for profit, not civic life. As one of the top digital strategists for Barack Obama's two presidential campaigns, Michael Slaby saw the beginning of a new kind of national division. What he witnessed would spawn the Tea Party movement, upset the 2016 election, and accelerate the polarization of American civic life. In FOR ALL THE PEOPLE, Slaby walks readers through the creation of modern storytelling, from the traditional media gatekeepers of the past to today's era of disconnection and disinformation. He then presents the four core areas which can be reclaimed to work better for all of us: platforms, government institutions, corporations, and even the users ourselves. We have the power to break free from the economics of attention and create a healthy civic life for all Americans. The first steps are ones we take together"--