Are Facebook and data tracking companies exploiting our social capital ?
Social capital, often defined as the ideologies of certain groups in the society, is a subject that has been present for a really long time. Social media, however, has modified the meaning of social capital, in which it has become “the links, shared values and understandings in society that enable individuals and groups to trust each other and so work together.” (DECD Insights: Human Capital)
Tracking takes place on most of the popular websites such as Google or Facebook. According to Geertz and Helmond (2013), these sites track the search history using “cookies” — which are small data pieces on the user’s computers. These cookies lead to the promotion of ads and commercials on the user’s search engine or social media site. In addition, another way to track people’s likes is through the like economy. The like economy is a concept in which people express their thoughts, interests and ideas through the like button. We trust the things we like on Facebook, or any other site, to help in the platform’s promotion of similar things which we seek. The main original purpose of the like button, as Geertz and Helmond (2013)believe, was it being a shortcut to commenting. Then it was developed in order for it to become this tracking device which gathers information about the users and promotes ads according to their interests and previous likes.
Social Media has managed to make use of this social capital by transforming these social relations into profit and market power. The sites track the groups formed, discover their interests and then view their ads, campaigns and business deals. This act invades the privacy of these groups and the group members in order to promote certain products and deals which might not even be what these members are asking for, that is, if they’re asking for anything at all. However, we should keep in mind that social media is not completely invading our privacy against our will, it’s more like we’re allowing it to invade our own private bubble. By agreeing on the terms and conditions of the social media sites, we are allowing these media platforms to track our searches, likes and private things and then promote things which are somewhat connected to what we follow. According to Andrews (2012), “ Advertisers choose key words or details — like relationship status, location, activities, favorite books and employment — and then Facebook runs the ads for the targeted subset of its 845 million users. If you indicate that you like cupcakes, live in a certain neighborhood and have invited friends over, expect an ad from a nearby bakery to appear on your page.”
In conclusion, the like economy on Facebook is no more than ultimate exploitation and invasion of people’s private lives. Hence, users should be more careful what sites they use, how they use them and what they’re agreeing on when they sign up for these social media platforms.
References:
Andrews, I. (2012) Facebook is using you, New York Times
Geertz & Helmond. (2013) The like economy, New Media and Society, 15(8) 1352
