Christian Rudder

What happens to all the data we share online? In this audacious, irreverent talk, Christian Rudder investigates human behavior and takes a first look at a data revolution in the making. For centuries, we’ve relied on polling or small-scale lab experiments to study human behavior. Today, a new approach is possible. As we live more of our lives online, researchers can finally observe us directly, in vast numbers, and without filters. Rudder explains how Facebook “likes” can predict, with surprising accuracy, a person’s sexual orientation and even intelligence; and how attractive women receive exponentially more interview requests. He charts the rise and fall of America’s most reviled word through Google Search and examines the new dynamics of collaborative rage on Twitter. He shows how people express themselves, both privately and publicly. And he grapples with the challenge of maintaining privacy in a world where these explorations are possible. A smart, personable, and funny speaker, Rudder presents noteworthy and customized findings, but also gives you large-scale data analysis in its proper social, corporate, and historical context. We’re at the cusp of a new age of human understanding; you'll leave his talk believing he’s right.