What if your most private information was never truly private? Data privacy has become a battleground where technology, law, and ethics collide, shaping the way societies protect individual rights in a digital age. From engineers building privacy controls to advocates fighting surveillance, understanding this landscape is crucial now more than ever.
Susan Hennessey, Lawfare Executive Editor, draws from her national security expertise to recommend books that decode the complex forces governing your data. Likewise, Neil Hunt, former Netflix CPO, underscores the importance of practical guides that blend engineering with privacy law. Meanwhile, Hannah Fry, a mathematician and science communicator, highlights works that challenge how personal data fuels power dynamics.
These carefully curated books offer frameworks proven by experienced professionals. For tailored insights focused on your background and goals—whether technical, legal, or ethical—consider creating a personalized Data Privacy book that builds on these expert recommendations to fit your unique needs.
Neil Hunt, former Chief Product Officer at Netflix, highlights how this book would have been invaluable during Netflix's significant technology shifts years ago, underscoring its relevance in rapidly evolving environments. He says, "I wish I had had this text in 2015 or 2016 at Netflix, and it would have been very helpful in 2008-2012 in a time of significant architectural evolution of our technology." His experience navigating complex privacy challenges adds weight to this endorsement. Additionally, Michelle Finneran Dennedy, former Chief Privacy Officer at Cisco, praises the book as a vital resource for leaders managing data in today's digital economy, emphasizing its urgency and practicality.
“I wish I had had this text in 2015 or 2016 at Netflix, and it would have been very helpful in 2008-2012 in a time of significant architectural evolution of our technology.”
Nishant Bhajaria leads the Technical Privacy and Strategy teams for Uber. His previous roles include head of privacy engineering at Netflix, and data security and privacy at Google. He is a well-known expert in the field of data privacy, has developed numerous courses on the topic, and has spoken extensively at conferences and podcasts.
2022·384 pages·Data Privacy, Privacy, Engineering, Data Governance, Legal Compliance
After analyzing complex privacy challenges at companies like Google and Netflix, Nishant Bhajaria wrote this book to bridge the gap between engineering and legal compliance in data privacy. You learn how to classify data by privacy risk, build tools for data discovery, design consent management platforms, and implement privacy controls that balance security with business needs. The chapters on technical privacy reviews and handling data subject access requests provide concrete frameworks you can apply directly. If you're an engineer or business leader responsible for privacy programs, this book offers practical guidance grounded in real-world experience, though it demands some technical background to fully benefit.
Susan Hennessey, Lawfare Executive Editor and CNN National Security Analyst, draws on her deep expertise in intelligence law to highlight this book’s unique value. She notes, "April Falcon Doss has spent a career at the National Security Agency, Senate intelligence committee, and in private practice influencing the decisions that shape technology, cybersecurity, and data privacy." Hennessey trusts Doss's perspective to clarify how data controls modern life and points readers toward an informed path forward. Similarly, Nina Jankowicz, author of How to Lose the Information War, praises the book for demystifying complex algorithms and data profiles at a time when most internet users struggle to keep up.
Lawfare Executive Editor, CNN National Security Analyst
“April Falcon Doss has spent a career at the National Security Agency, Senate intelligence committee, and in private practice influencing the decisions that shape technology, cybersecurity, and data privacy. In this book, Doss turns twenty years of perspective and experience into a Cyber Privacy road map to guide those looking to understand how data came to rule our world and where we go from here.”
April Falcon Doss spent over a decade at the National Security Agency, where she was the associate general counsel for intelligence law. She also served on Capitol Hill as the senior minority counsel for the Russia investigation in the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Doss is a regular commentator on data privacy, cybersecurity, and national security issues. She has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, and NPR. April's articles have appeared in a wide range of publications, including the Washington Post, Atlantic, Weekly Standard, Lawfare, and SciTech Lawyer.
2020·384 pages·Privacy, Data Privacy, Cybersecurity, Digital Footprints, Data Aggregation
Drawing from her extensive experience at the National Security Agency and the Senate Intelligence Committee, April Falcon Doss unpacks the intricate world of data privacy with clarity and authority. You’ll learn exactly how everyday actions leave digital footprints exploited by corporations, governments, and even employers, and why this matters for your personal autonomy. The book navigates complex topics like data aggregation, evolving laws, and the ethical tensions between convenience and privacy, with chapters that dissect how data science reshapes society’s balance of power. If you want to understand who holds your data, why it’s crucial, and what you can realistically do, this book offers a grounded perspective without jargon or hype.
2020 Foreword Indie Award Gold Winner in Science & Technology
This custom AI book on privacy engineering is created to match your specific experience level and learning goals. By sharing your background and the privacy topics you're most interested in, you receive a tailored guide that focuses precisely on the concepts and challenges you want to explore. AI crafts this book to bridge the gap between expert knowledge and your personal needs, making complex privacy engineering topics more accessible and relevant for you.
TailoredRead AI creates personalized nonfiction books that adapt to your unique background, goals, and interests. Instead of reading generic content, you get a custom book written specifically for your profession, experience level, and learning objectives. Whether you're a beginner looking for fundamentals or an expert seeking advanced insights, TailoredRead crafts a book that speaks directly to you. Learn more.
This tailored book delves deeply into privacy engineering, revealing concepts and techniques essential for tackling real-world data privacy challenges. It examines foundational principles as well as advanced topics, focusing on your specific interests and background to provide a learning pathway perfectly matched to your goals. Through a personalized approach, it explores how to design, implement, and evaluate privacy controls in complex systems, helping you navigate the technical and ethical landscape of data protection with clarity. This book offers a unique synthesis of current expert knowledge, carefully tailored to build your confidence and skill in privacy mastery.
Danielle Citron, professor at Boston University Law School and a leading voice in hate crimes and privacy law, highlights this book as a foundational work for lawmakers and the public alike. After witnessing the increasing erosion of privacy rights, her recommendation underscores the book’s role in shaping informed debate and policy. She says, "We gathered to celebrate Neil Richards’ brilliant book Why Privacy Matters. Foundational contribution for the public, lawmakers, and your friends and family!" This endorsement reflects the book’s impact on experts deeply engaged in crafting privacy protections. Alongside her, Helen Dixon, Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner, stresses Richards’ compelling case for ongoing privacy regulation in today’s digital landscape.
“We gathered to celebrate Neil Richards’ brilliant book Why Privacy Matters. Foundational contribution for the public, lawmakers, and your friends and family!” (from X)
Neil Richards is one of the world's leading experts in privacy law, information law, and freedom of expression. He holds the Koch Distinguished Professorship at Washington University School of Law, where he co-directs the Cordell Institute for Policy in Medicine & Law. He is also an affiliate scholar with the Stanford Center for Internet and Society and the Yale Information Society Project, a Fellow at the Center for Democracy and Technology, and a consultant and expert in privacy cases. Richards serves on the board of the Future of Privacy Forum and is a member of the American Law Institute. He is the author of Intellectual Privacy (Oxford).
2021·304 pages·Privacy, Data Privacy, Surveillance, Legal Frameworks, Digital Rights
When Neil Richards examined the prevailing notion that privacy is obsolete, he crafted this book to challenge that assumption head-on. Drawing on his expertise as a leading privacy law scholar, Richards details how privacy remains a crucial battleground for power, identity, and freedom in an era dominated by surveillance technologies. You’ll gain insight into the societal and legal frameworks that can safeguard privacy, along with strategies to push back against pervasive monitoring—from corporate tracking to government oversight. This book suits anyone interested in the intersection of law, technology, and individual rights, especially policymakers, legal professionals, and privacy advocates seeking a nuanced understanding of why privacy still matters.
Sean O'Brien, founder of Yale Privacy Lab and cybersecurity lecturer at Yale Law School, appreciates a guide that respects the complexity of privacy without overwhelming busy professionals. He found that "Firewalls Don't Stop Dragons is a well informed and accessible guide to better privacy and security," highlighting how Carey Parker’s detailed explanations and human-centered approach transformed his understanding of digital safety. Sean emphasizes that this book is not just for experts but for anyone navigating today’s digital threats. Echoing this sentiment, Andy Yen, founder and CEO of Proton, praises the book’s timely updates and its ability to make security approachable for all, confirming its relevance in a rapidly evolving tech landscape.
Founder of Yale Privacy Lab, Cybersecurity Lecturer
“Firewalls Don't Stop Dragons is a well informed and accessible guide to better privacy and security. Carey documents solutions without glossing over the details, building upon his years of experience in the field of cybersecurity. If I had this guide when I began my journey in privacy tech, it wouldn't have just saved me a lot of time - it would have transformed my digital life. Readers are given tons of helpful recommendations alongside cogent and comprehensive explanations and, most importantly, are spoken to like real humans with busy lives. This isn't a fast food menu for techies, it's a hearty and rewarding meal for geeks and non-geeks alike. I always say there's no quick road to free yourself from surveillance. But this book will lead the way and make you much safer as you navigate the minefield laid down by malicious actors.”
Carey Parker, CIPM was born and raised in Indiana, an only child who loved to tear apart his electronic toys and reassemble them in interesting ways. He began programming computers in middle school when personal computers were just starting to become popular. For years, these twin interests percolated until he attended Purdue University and learned that you could get paid to do this stuff―it was called electrical engineering! After obtaining both bachelor and master degrees in electrical engineering, Carey launched his career in telecommunications software development at Bell Northern Research (aka the 'Big Nerd Ranch'). Over the next 20 years, he wrote software for multiple companies, large and small, and lived in various cities across the southern United States. In recent years, particularly after the Edward Snowden revelations in 2013, Carey became deeply concerned about computer security and privacy. In 2014, he began combining his passion for computers, cybersecurity, and fantasy novels with his long-time desire to write a book, and the result is Firewalls Don't Stop Dragons. This eventually launched a blog, newsletter, and weekly podcast of the same name.
2023·621 pages·Data Privacy, Firewall, Cybersecurity, Internet Safety, Encryption
Carey Parker's decades of experience in electrical engineering and software development culminate in this approachable guide to digital security crafted specifically for non-techies. You learn how to protect your devices and personal data through clear explanations and practical checklists covering everything from secure browsing to two-factor authentication. The book demystifies complex topics like encryption and VPNs without jargon, making it accessible whether you're new to cybersecurity or seeking to update your knowledge for modern systems like Windows 11 and macOS Ventura. If you want to safeguard your digital life without getting overwhelmed by technicalities, this book offers a balanced, no-nonsense path.
Hannah Fry, a mathematics professor and science communicator, highlights this book as "an essential guide to one of the most pressing modern issues." Her expertise in analyzing complex systems gives weight to her endorsement, especially as she grapples with how digital surveillance shapes society. The book reshaped her understanding of privacy's stakes, showing how data is not just personal but political power. Alongside Fry, philosopher Jonathan Wolff praises its smart, stylish approach to revealing why handing over personal data matters and insists we don't have to accept it passively.
Carissa Véliz is an associate professor at the Faculty of Philosophy and the Institute for Ethics in AI, as well as a tutorial fellow at Hertford College, at the University of Oxford. She works on privacy, technology, moral and political philosophy, and public policy. Véliz has published articles in media such as the Guardian, the New York Times, New Statesman, and the Independent. Her academic work has been published in The Harvard Business Review, Nature Electronics, Nature Energy, and The American Journal of Bioethics, among other journals. She is the author of Privacy Is Power and the editor of the forthcoming Oxford Handbook of Digital Ethics.
Unlike most data privacy books that focus narrowly on technical safeguards, Carissa Véliz draws from her philosophical expertise to challenge how governments and corporations exploit your personal data. You’ll gain a clear understanding of the surveillance economy’s power dynamics and practical ways to reclaim control, from policy reforms to everyday privacy habits. Chapters detail how data fuels manipulation, spotlighting the ethical implications and societal costs. This book suits anyone concerned about digital autonomy, especially those interested in the intersection of ethics, technology, and law.
This AI-created book on data privacy is tailored to your skill level and specific goals for improving privacy practices. Based on the areas you want to focus on and your current knowledge, it provides a clear, personalized 30-day plan to rapidly enhance your protections. Customization matters here because data privacy challenges vary widely, and this book helps you concentrate on what you need most without wading through irrelevant details. It's designed to make your learning practical, focused, and directly applicable to your daily digital life.
TailoredRead AI creates personalized nonfiction books that adapt to your unique background, goals, and interests. Instead of reading generic content, you get a custom book written specifically for your profession, experience level, and learning objectives. Whether you're a beginner looking for fundamentals or an expert seeking advanced insights, TailoredRead crafts a book that speaks directly to you. Learn more.
This tailored book explores practical, step-by-step actions to enhance your personal data privacy within a focused 30-day timeframe. It covers core principles of privacy protection, risk identification, and effective safeguards, designed to match your background and specific goals. By concentrating on the aspects most relevant to you, it reveals how to quickly improve your privacy posture with clear guidance and actionable tasks. The book examines real challenges faced in today's digital environment and offers a personalized pathway through complex privacy topics, bridging expert knowledge with your unique needs. This approach makes learning efficient, engaging, and deeply relevant to your situation.
Danielle Keats Citron, a distinguished law professor at the University of Virginia, highlights how this book reveals privacy threats embedded in everyday technologies you use. She emphasizes the book's deep insights and humor, noting it provides a clear plan for designing privacy into apps, social media, and even wearable tech. "With deep insight, passion, and humor, Woodrow Hartzog demands that we see what has been in front us all along yet never meaningfully reckoned with," she says. This perspective has shaped how many privacy scholars think about technology design. Alongside her, Paul Schwartz, author of Information Privacy Law, praises the book’s bold agenda linking privacy design to power and politics, reinforcing its impact on the field.
“With deep insight, passion, and humor, Woodrow Hartzog demands that we see what has been in front us all along yet never meaningfully reckoned with. As Hartzog makes clear, we can design apps, social media, and networked clothing (underwear!) with privacy in mind but we need a plan and this book provides it in spades. This is a defining book for our information age and a must read.”
Woodrow Hartzog is a Professor of Law and Computer Science at Northeastern University School of Law and the College of Computer and Information Science. His research on privacy, media, and robotics has been published in numerous law reviews and peer-reviewed publications such as the Yale Law Journal, Columbia Law Review, California Law Review, and Michigan Law Review. He has also written for popular publications such as The Guardian, Wired, The Atlantic, CNN, and BBC.
What happens when law expertise meets technology design? Woodrow Hartzog, a Professor of Law and Computer Science, explores how everyday digital tools are deliberately crafted to erode your privacy, challenging the common belief that users alone must protect themselves. You’ll gain insight into how current legal frameworks fall short by treating technology as neutral, and how new rules could mandate privacy-respecting design in software and hardware. For example, Hartzog discusses how encryption mandates and prohibitions on deceptive interfaces could reshape tech’s impact on privacy. If you’re concerned about how your data is handled and want to understand the legal and design battles shaping your digital life, this book offers a thoughtful, critical perspective.
Mitch Kapor, founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Kapor Capital, highlights the urgent relevance of this book, noting it as "essential reading for anyone concerned with how technology has overrun privacy." His decades championing digital rights give his endorsement weight, especially as he reflects on the increasing encroachment of surveillance tech on personal freedoms. Following him, Cory Doctorow, author and technology activist, praises Farivar’s work as "essential, smart and cogent," appreciating the clarity brought to complex privacy issues in today’s digital landscape.
Cyrus Farivar is an investigative tech reporter at NBC News and the author of The Internet of Elsewhere. He has reported for various prestigious outlets including The Economist and Wired. He lives in Oakland, California.
What if everything you knew about privacy was wrong? Cyrus Farivar, an investigative tech reporter with deep experience at outlets like NBC News and Wired, explores how decades of American privacy law have fallen short in the face of modern surveillance technology. Through detailed analysis of 10 landmark legal cases, you gain insight into how surveillance tools operate and the profound implications for personal privacy in the digital age. This book suits anyone grappling with the intersection of technology, law, and civil liberties, offering a clear-eyed examination rather than alarmism or empty promises.
Katharine Jarmul is a privacy activist and principal data scientist at Thoughtworks Germany, with a rich background in machine learning and data privacy. Her work spans implementing privacy-aware systems at major companies and startups across the US and Germany, focusing on reliability and security. Driven by the challenge of making data science privacy-compliant, she authored this book to share insights on legal and technical aspects of regulations like GDPR, as well as advanced concepts like multi-party computation. Her authoritative experience offers you a grounded perspective on enhancing privacy in data workflows.
Katharine Jarmul is a privacy activist, machine learning engineer, and principal data scientist at Thoughtworks Germany. She is also a passionate and internationally recognized data scientist, programmer, and lecturer. Previously, Katharine held numerous roles at large companies and startups in the US and Germany, implementing data processing and machine learning systems with a focus on reliability, testability, privacy and security. She is an O'Reilly author and a frequent keynote speaker at international software and AI conferences. For the past five years, Katharine has focused on answering the question: How do we perform privacy-aware data science and machine learning? To answer this question, she's worked on the legal and technical aspects of regulations like GDPR, as well as helped build an encrypted learning platform based on multi-party computation.
Katharine Jarmul draws on her extensive experience as a principal data scientist and privacy advocate to tackle the complexities of embedding privacy into data systems. You learn how to navigate key privacy concepts like differential privacy, federated learning, and encrypted computation, backed by real-world lessons that clarify what privacy regulations mean for your data workflows. The book breaks down technical challenges such as true anonymization and integrating privacy-enhancing technologies into production environments, making it especially valuable if you handle data science projects needing security by design. It’s a solid guide for developers, data scientists, and privacy officers seeking to bridge legal requirements with practical implementation.
Graham Greenleaf is a Professor of Law at the University of New South Wales, Australia, with a focus on information technology and law. He co-founded the Australasian Legal Information Institute and leads the Asian Privacy Scholars Network, reflecting his commitment to accessible legal knowledge. His extensive editorial work and recognition as a Member of the Order of Australia underscore his authority. This book reflects his unique position to map the intricate data privacy laws across Asia, providing you with authoritative insight and detailed legal context.
Graham Greenleaf is a Professor of Law at the University of New South Wales, Australia, specializing in the relationships between information technology and law. He is a co-founder and Co-Director of the free-access Internet law service, the Australasian Legal Information Institute. In 2010, he took the lead in establishing the Asian Privacy Scholars Network. He was General Editor of the monthly Privacy Law and Policy Reporter 1994-2006 and has been Asia-Pacific Editor for Privacy Laws & Business International Report since then. He co-edited Global Privacy Protection (Edward Elgar, 2008) with J Rule. In 2010, he was made a member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his contributions to advancing free access to legal information and to the protection of privacy.
2014·622 pages·Data Privacy, Privacy, Legal Analysis, Trade Law, Human Rights
What happens when deep legal expertise meets the complexities of Asian data privacy? Graham Greenleaf, a Professor of Law with decades of experience in IT and law intersections, takes you through every corner of Asia's data privacy landscape. You gain detailed knowledge of 26 countries’ privacy laws, including a thorough breakdown of the 14 with specialized statutes, enriched by comparisons to international standards. The book equips you to understand not just the letter of these laws but their enforcement and trade implications, making it especially useful if you navigate privacy compliance or policy in Asia-Pacific contexts.
Justin Hendrix, editor at Tech Policy Press and adjunct professor at NYU's Tandon School of Engineering, brings a deep understanding of technology's impact on democracy. He highlighted this book after a conversation with Danielle Citron, sharing his enthusiasm for her exploration of privacy's erosion in everyday life. "This week's podcast! I got to speak to Danielle Citron about her latest book, The Fight for Privacy..." His engagement with the book reflects its relevance to ongoing debates about data rights and personal dignity.
“This week's podcast! I got to speak to Danielle Citron about her latest book, The Fight for Privacy: Protecting Dignity, Identity, and Love in the Digital Age, published this month. Listen/read:” (from X)
Danielle Keats Citron is the Jefferson Scholars Foundation Schenck Distinguished Professor in Law at the University of Virginia. A 2019 MacArthur Fellow, she serves as the vice president of the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative and lives in Charlottesville, Virginia.
2022·304 pages·Privacy, Data Privacy, Digital Rights, Cybersecurity, Civil Rights
Drawing from her extensive legal expertise and civil rights advocacy, Danielle Keats Citron explores how intimate privacy is eroding in the digital age. She unpacks how personal details—from health to relationships—are commodified by corporations and exploited in social and political arenas. The book examines the disproportionate harm to women, LGBTQ+ people, and marginalized groups, highlighting cases like revenge porn and deepfake abuse. You’ll gain insight into the legal shortcomings and cultural shifts that allow these violations, as well as the emerging movement to reclaim privacy as a fundamental civil right. This book suits anyone concerned with the intersection of technology, law, and personal dignity.
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Conclusion
Together, these 10 Data Privacy books illuminate the multifaceted challenges and solutions shaping digital rights today. They explore engineering safeguards, legal frameworks, ethical debates, and global regulations that impact how privacy survives in an interconnected world.
If you're an engineer or developer navigating privacy controls, start with Data Privacy and Practical Data Privacy for technical mastery. For advocates and policymakers, Why Privacy Matters and Privacy is Power offer compelling legal and philosophical insights. To understand surveillance’s legal battles, Habeas Data and The Fight for Privacy provide essential context.
Alternatively, you can create a personalized Data Privacy book to bridge general principles with your specific challenges. These books will accelerate your journey to mastering data privacy with authority and confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
I'm overwhelmed by choice – which book should I start with?
Start with "Data Privacy" by Nishant Bhajaria if you're technical or leading privacy programs. For a broader view on why privacy matters legally and ethically, "Why Privacy Matters" by Neil Richards is an excellent entry point.
Are these books too advanced for someone new to Data Privacy?
Not at all. "Firewalls Don't Stop Dragons" is tailored for non-techies, making privacy and security concepts accessible. Others like "Privacy is Power" explore ethical issues in plain language, perfect for beginners.
What's the best order to read these books?
Begin with foundational perspectives like "Why Privacy Matters" and "Privacy is Power," then move to practical guides such as "Data Privacy" and "Practical Data Privacy." Finish with specialized topics like "Asian Data Privacy Laws" for regional insights.
Can I skip around or do I need to read them cover to cover?
Feel free to skip around. Each book addresses distinct facets—from engineering to law to ethics—so select those that match your immediate interests or challenges for focused learning.
Which books focus more on theory vs. practical application?
"Privacy’s Blueprint" and "Why Privacy Matters" delve into legal and philosophical theory, while "Data Privacy" and "Practical Data Privacy" provide hands-on strategies engineers and scientists can apply directly.
How can I get tailored Data Privacy advice without reading all these books?
You can get personalized insights by creating a customized Data Privacy book that blends expert knowledge with your specific goals and background, efficiently bridging theory with your real-world needs.
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