In 2016, the New York Times ran an article about how Target uses big data and analytics to determine if a shopper was pregnant — before they wanted anyone to know. Andrew Pole, one of Target’s statisticians, stated, “We knew that if we could identify them in their second trimester, there’s a good chance we could capture them for years.” This is the world we live in today, the world of big data. There are thousands of data points that are used — due to the sheer size of our digital footprint — to manipulate the user toward a certain goal. This is certainly not necessarily nefarious but just the natural projectile of an increasingly scientific approach to marketing.
On April 10, 2018, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg uncharacteristically donned a suit and testified before Congress regarding the Cambridge Analytica data breach, wherein data collected from 87 million users was shared to the firm. Subconsciously we all know that corporations have marketing strategies to guide us in the directions they want. But with Facebook it’s different. Facebook is unassuming because it is seemingly a free service. But nothing is free in this world; the real value is mined through the collected user data. Facebook sells you, the user, or at least access to you. As the old saying goes, “If you’re not paying, you’re the product”.
Facebook’s News Feed curates articles and posts that are specifically tailored to the individual, with the goal of maximizing the time spent on the site. As most people are conflict-averse, this means your Feed slowly starts mirroring your political and religious views. And suddenly, the conversation becomes one-sided, and the user is insulated from opposing viewpoints. This is a dangerous byproduct of Facebook’s incredibly effective marketing, because engaging in real conversation is pinnacle to democracy.