Facebook is getting more bold with how it sells user data to companies, all while still allegedly 'respecting user privacy.'
'To amp up the effectiveness of its ads, Facebook in recent months has
begun allowing marketers to target ads at users based on the email
address and phone number they list on their profiles, or based on their
surfing habits on other sites.'
Privacy advocates are up in arms - especially over the fact that FB is taking part in studies to link FB ads with members shopping habits in actual stores (and won't disclose which companies take part in the studies).
An interesting twist to all this is discussed in a recent Slate article. Previously, it was impossible to match up FB users to their voter-file identities. With access to individual phone numbers and email addresses, this is so longer the case. The impact of social media on campaigning just got a whole lot more interesting...
A helpful infographic on FB's use of personal data:
'To a computer, your face is a set of points and measurements between
features, but to advertisers, these data sets mean lucrative profits and
a new way to connect with customers. Facial detection technology is
making it feasible to do real-time measurement and analysis of ads in
the physical world and predict the products you will want to buy, based
on who you are or what you look like.'
Fascinating article on how your physical appearance can be extrapolated to 'data.' This takes personalized ads to the next level.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/singularity/2012/08/08/billboards-and-tvs-detect-your-face-and-juice-up-ads-tailored-just-for-you/
A couple week ago Twitter was ordered to divulge tweets and account info connected to an Occupy protester. The judge stated: "If you post a tweet, just like if you scream it out the window, there
is no reasonable expectation of privacy. There is no proprietary
interest in your tweets, which you have now gifted to the world. This is
not the same as a private e-mail, a private direct message, a private
chat, or any of the other readily available ways to have a private
conversation via the internet that now exist."
According to a report just released by Twitter, the US leads the pack in demanding data.
One of our team members stumbled upon this site. It is quite possibly the most direct example of a balanced, straightforward information economy - complete transparency, a clear transaction and an obvious value (on both ends).
Create buzz on a product and receive that product (or element of that product) in return. Tweet about a song and get a copy for free.
http://www.paywithatweet.com/
Government utilizing personal data: http://www.whitehouse.gov/innovationfellows/opendata
"Open Data Initiatives program aims to “liberate” government data and
voluntarily-contributed corporate data to fuel entrepreneurship, improve
the lives of Americans in many tangible ways, and create jobs."
There may be a different type of 'value' here: data = products and services = job creation.
I'm probably the last to hear about this, but it relates to the concept of value that we discussed in last class.
Ushahidi is a platform that allows users to crowd-source crisis information. (More at the Economist.)
Such a cool idea. Do wonder about determining the validity of twitter feeds, etc.
Data Value chart from frog design.
Really interesting study that looks at how much ($$) we value our information in a 3 tier format. Apparently, folks at frog design do not think that online reputation defense will be a money maker. http://designmind.frogdesign.com/blog/what039s-your-personal-data-worth.html
According to this article, the Intelius website you can learn (for free) where someone works, a list of their relatives, where they went to college, and where they've lived. Two bucks gets you their birth date and address.
Typed in my name to see if it's true and it is. It correctly listed my information, including the last 3 cities I've lived in.
- Norway is trying to ban Google Analytics. As part of this they would need to anonoymise IP addresses meaning - which essentially means Google won't know which countries their users are living in. http://www.thedrum.co.uk/news/2012/08/21/google-analytics-faces-norway-ban
