In a world where immense amounts of data are saved to the cloud, tech companies are more and more powerful, and their behavior in managing that information (our digital lives, but that affects most parts of our offline lives) is vitally important. In a global digital world, your data could be racking up digital miles all over the world even while you sleep, and without your knowledge.

In Tools and Weapons, Microsoft President Brad Smith and Carol Ann Browne address a wide range of issues, such a

In a world where immense amounts of data are saved to the cloud, tech companies are more and more powerful, and their behavior in managing that information (our digital lives, but that affects most parts of our offline lives) is vitally important. In a global digital world, your data could be racking up digital miles all over the world even while you sleep, and without your knowledge. In Tools and Weapons, Microsoft President Brad Smith and Carol Ann Browne address a wide range of issues, such as surveillance, social media, digital diplomacy, artificial intelligence, and ethics. Smith provides a fascinating overview of issues past and present with respect to the above, as well as government regulation and how tech companies respond to social issues (for example, there are chapters on consumer privacy, rural broadband, and the talent gap with respect to computer science).The book is easy to read and understand, even for a lay person, and is a fascinating overview of these areas of concern. Smith provides the reader with an insider view of major events in the tech industry that continue to be relevant, and provides a peek into Microsoft's decision-making process. Microsoft is a lot more proactive and socially conscious than I ever realized. I particularity enjoyed hearing about how Microsoft worked with other organizations and governments to address various issues. More than anything, the book gives a lot of food for thought about the benefits, negatives, and things to be aware of related to ever-evolving technology. Having read the book I am better informed, which is exactly what I was hoping for from Tools and Weapons.The opinions in this review are honest and my own.