THE INTERNET TRAP (PB)

Whether we are checking
emails, following friends on Facebook and Twitter, planning holidays on
TripAdvisor, watching videos on YouTube, or simply browsing for deals on
Amazon, the Internet pervades our professional and personal environments. The
Internet has revolutionized our lives, but at what cost? In The Internet
Trap, Ashesh Mukherjee uses the latest research in consumer psychology to
highlight the hidden costs of living online: too many temptations, too much
information, too much customization, too many comparisons, and too little
privacy. The book uses everyday examples to explain these costs including how
surfing the Internet anonymously can encourage bad behavior, using social
media can make us envious and unhappy, and doing online research can devalue
the product finally chosen. The book also provides actionable solutions to
minimize these costs. For example, the book reveals how deciding not to
choose is as important as deciding what to choose, setting up structural
barriers to temptation can reduce overspending on e-commerce websites, and
comparisons with others on social media websites need to be cold rather than
hot. The Internet Trap provides a new perspective on the dark side of the
Internet, and gives readers the tools to become smarter users of the
Internet.