Jonathan A. Obar is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication & Media Studies. His teaching and research focus on information and communication policy, and the relationship between digital technologies, civil liberties, and the inclusiveness of public cultures.
Prof. Obar is currently leading a knowledge mobilization effort focused on building awareness among policymakers, platforms, and publics about the role of meaningful consent in achieving online privacy. Understanding the Biggest Lie on the Internet is a project that seeks to build a knowledge community around its mobile and user-friendly website biggestlieonline.com. The website hosts video content on why “I agree to the terms and conditions” is referred to as “the biggest lie on the internet”. It also hosts an academic video essay on the clickwrap, a deceptive user interface design that serves the political economic function of speeding users through online consent processes towards monetized sections of services. The videos are accompanied by a host of publications, research reports (like privacy policy length and complexity analyses), and other resources that can support student engagement in online privacy research and advocacy. The website also aims at building connections with other academics and individuals conducting research or developing potential solutions, including links to a privacy advocacy campaign by the civil society group OpenMedia. The site is especially relevant to those researching and teaching about the future of big data, algorithms, or artificial intelligence.
The project is funded by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada and SSHRC. To learn more or collaborate, please visit the Biggest Lie on the Internet (biggestlieonline.com) or connect with Prof. Jonathan Obar.
