If you don't understand that Facebook is just another advertising firm, you don't understand Facebook! And, if you think advertising firms have any ethical compass, you haven't watched Mad Men.
Today, it was learned that Facebook conducted an experiment on almost 700 thousand of its users, to see if the company could manipulate the emotions of those users. Some users were shown depressing stories and photos, while others were shown positive stories and photos. Not surprising, those shown depressing stories then demonstrated evidence of being depressed. (I just pray nobody killed themself?)
Why would this company use its clients as lab rats without telling them? Because Facebook users are not the clients. They are the product. They are just lab rats. The clients of Facebook are the advertisers who use Facebook to reach the lab rats. Social media exists to identify data on the lab rats which it sells to clients. The clients then pay to advertise in front of certain lab rats but not other lab rats.
Let's see -- if I'm selling cremation services in a particular area, could I pay Facebook to flood local lab rats with depressing stories and photos to make them more likely to purchase my product?
Facebook is not alone. I doubt anybody collects more data on lab rats and then sells that data to advertisers than Google. Just remember:
Today, it was learned that Facebook conducted an experiment on almost 700 thousand of its users, to see if the company could manipulate the emotions of those users. Some users were shown depressing stories and photos, while others were shown positive stories and photos. Not surprising, those shown depressing stories then demonstrated evidence of being depressed. (I just pray nobody killed themself?)
Why would this company use its clients as lab rats without telling them? Because Facebook users are not the clients. They are the product. They are just lab rats. The clients of Facebook are the advertisers who use Facebook to reach the lab rats. Social media exists to identify data on the lab rats which it sells to clients. The clients then pay to advertise in front of certain lab rats but not other lab rats.
Let's see -- if I'm selling cremation services in a particular area, could I pay Facebook to flood local lab rats with depressing stories and photos to make them more likely to purchase my product?
Facebook is not alone. I doubt anybody collects more data on lab rats and then sells that data to advertisers than Google. Just remember:
Social Media = Advertising Firms.
