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- Common Sense
- Exchanger
Offline - Registered: 2/16/2015
- Posts: 3,256
Facebook can exploit the insecurities of teenagers using the platform.
A Secret document shows in scary detail how Facebook can exploit the insecurities of teenagers using the platform.
FACEBOOK has come under fire over revelations it is targeting potentially vulnerable youths who “need a confidence boost” to facilitate predatory advertising practices.The allegation was revealed this morning by The Australian which obtained internal documents from the social media giant which reportedly show how Facebook can exploit the moods and insecurities of teenagers using the platform for the potential benefit of advertisers.The confidential document dated this year detailed how by monitoring posts, comments and interactions on the site, Facebook can figure out when people as young as 14 feel “defeated”, “overwhelmed”, “stressed”, “anxious”, “nervous”, “stupid”, “silly”, “useless”, and a “failure”.
Such information gathered through a system dubbed sentiment analysis could be used by advertisers to target young Facebook users when they are potentially more vulnerable.While Google is the king of the online advertising world, Facebook is the other major player which dominates the industry worth about $80 billion last year.But Facebook is not one to rest on its laurels. The leaked document shows it has been honing the covert tools its uses to gain useful psychological insights on young Australian and New Zealanders in high school and tertiary education.
Facebook did not return attempts by news.com.au to comment on the issue but was quick to issue an apology and told The Australian that it will conduct an investigation into the matter, admitting it was inappropriate to target young children in such a way.“The data on which this research is based was aggregated and presented consistent with applicable privacy and legal protections, including the removal of any personally identifiable information,” Facebook said in a statement issued to the newspaper.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident,” former vice president Biden said during a campaign event in Texas on Monday. "All men and women created by — you know, you know, the thing.”
- tennyson
- Exchanger
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- Registered: 2/06/2015
- Posts: 6,654
Re: Facebook can exploit the insecurities of teenagers using the platform.
Facebook and others in the social media obviously rely upon advertising. That is how they stay in business. I DO have to give Facebook and some of the other social media credit, however, for looking into how they can make their platforms better. They have already started to tackle the "fake news" area and perhaps this is one more area they need to address.
BTW, MOST advertisers look to sell their products as best they can so I am kind of suspect of singling out one arm of that which seems to be more responsible than most advertising venues.
"Do not confuse motion and progress, A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress"
- TheLagerLad
- Exchange Beer Snob
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- From: Bucks County, PA
- Registered: 1/29/2015
- Posts: 2,055
Re: Facebook can exploit the insecurities of teenagers using the platform.
Having been a teenager at one point, I can tell you that a can of creamed corn can exploit the insecurities of your typical teenager.
Facebook can figure out when people as young as 14 feel “defeated”, “overwhelmed”, “stressed”, “anxious”, “nervous”, “stupid”, “silly”, “useless”, and a “failure”.
So can I. It's pretty much always.
I think you're going to see a lot of different United States of America over the next three, four, or eight years. - President Donald J. Trump
- Goose
- Cogito ergo sum
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- Registered: 1/29/2015
- Posts: 13,427
Re: Facebook can exploit the insecurities of teenagers using the platform.
Good point.
It's kinda a feature of the age.
As the say, youth is wasted on the young.
We live in a time in which decent and otherwise sensible people are surrendering too easily to the hectoring of morons or extremists.
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