Will a Constantly Optimised Network System Continue to Improve the Efficiency of Internet Usage?
Introduction
The Internet was initially developed to help people with academic support rather than commercial use. However, this has shifted into becoming an essential aspect of our lives in the wake of continually developing technology. One example of this is the online shopping system, which has become an integral part of our lives in recent years. The system is becoming smarter with the support of the recommendation system. It has made it easier for people to access information and find the products they like quickly. Therefore, how today’s recommendation system and digital marketing affect netizens will be critically discussed in this paper.
· The Constantly Improving Recommendation System
✍️Recommendation systems are computer algorithms that utilize machine learning and artificial intelligence to analyse a user’s past behaviours and preferences. The development of machine learning and artificial intelligence has significantly improved the accuracy and effectiveness of recommendation system, which supports the human information distribution. For example, people can now actively recommend information that matches their interests by shaping the information needs of different individuals. Moreover, the development of information technology has also provided material conditions for the emergence of personalised recommendation systems.
The phenomenon of online platforms has developed into a deep comprehension of our needs; thus, we have become the product. Shopping platforms are a good example of this development as they can detect our shopping preferences based on our shopping history and browsing time.
The efficiency of information distribution is improved. This is demonstrable by the liberation of a section of the manpower while simultaneously breaking the limitations caused by manpower on information distribution. To complete the matching of people and information more effectively, the realisation of effective distribution of long-tail content is also vital. For instance, the recommendation system allows online platforms to tailor their content to specific users’ preferences, which increases the likelihood of users finding content of interest. A more personalised experience for users is the result, and satisfaction with the provided services is significantly increased.
However, there are critical voices of content recommendation, ones that advocate the narrowing of horizons, the vulgarisation of information, and the marginalisation of people. These voices fundamentally reflect eternal human concerns such as understanding the breadth and height of information as well as the subjectivity of people. People think that algorithmic recommendations limited them to expand their potential interest or miss out on some of the popular public news. For example, when I use social media, I get a lot of fashion-related recommendations, and I didn’t realize that I was also interested in travel until I did a lot of searching online for relevant tips before a trip and the software started giving me travel-related recommendations. A holistic and developmental perspective is potentially more conducive to our understanding of the issues.
The Internet of Things (IoT) has a developed recommendation system, however, privacy becomes a key challenge in IoT due to the involvement of humans as well as ubiquitous data collection. Vast amounts of data from a variety of devices (e.g., sensors, wearables, and other connected devices) is a feature of IoT with personalised recommendations for users created from that data, such as product or service suggestions. This data, however, can also be used by criminality (e.g., identity theft or cyber-attacks).
· Digital Marketing
✍️Digital marketing concerns the use of big data and platform algorithms to accurately deliver tailored advertisements to users in different forms (e.g., social media marketing, email marketing, SEM, etc.).
Both consumers and companies can be seen to benefit from digital marketing. For instance, targeted publicity makes companies more cost-effective in terms of publicity. There are several empirical studies that demonstrate a significant positive impact when it comes to customers’ behavioural intentions to adopt and use digital shopping. However, the surplus of fragmented information that is the hallmark of online engagement requires users to have a certain level of discernment to assess the truth or falsity of such information.
A key example is the challenge posed by the fake reviews on TripAdvisor. It was found that almost 1 million reviews on TripAdvisor were fake, as reviewers were paid to provide positive reviews to boost ratings. The trustworthiness of online reviews becomes a critical issue while also highlighting the need for critical thinking when evaluating these reviews. Consequently, netizens need to be cautious of reviews that are too positive, too similar, or posted too quickly after the product was launched. Also, checking the profile of the reviewer and the language used can also allow insight into the veracity of the review.
Nevertheless, unlike TV advertisements, paid positive reviews are harder to identify. This leads to a system of mistrust as netizens are less likely to trust the information online; thus, making it more difficult for the publisher to gain trust on the Internet. As a result, it becomes more difficult for the continuous development of the network to support the increase in terms of the efficiency of Internet access.
· Future Expectations
✍️However, certain actions can be taken to address these previously identified challenges.
- Privacy
When IoT developers are designing their systems, it is vital that they account for privacy during that phase. The implementation of strong data protection measures, such as encryption and secure data storage, is critical as well as providing transparency concerning the use of data to users. In addition to the ethical considerations, IoT developers are expected to comply with legal requirements concerning privacy and data collection. Several legislative requirements govern the collection, use, and storage of personal data, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union.
- Misinformation Online
Transparency is a critical issue in this regard and governments can establish laws that require digital platforms and advertisers to demonstrate transparency regarding their practices in addition to taking responsibility for the accuracy of the information they disseminate. The US digital platform, Honest Ads Act, requires that sell political ads disclose information such as the sponsor of the ad, the target audience, and the amount paid for the ad. Moreover, education and media literacy initiatives can also assist users to become better equipped to evaluate the veracity of the information that they encounter online. For instance, the free CyberWISE program is designed to the young navigate the digital world and develop healthy online habits.
Reflection
Despite being a student majoring in Economics, I am interested in marketing and communications and plan to further study these areas as a postgraduate. I enjoyed taking part in this course as well as learning how to write a well-structured blog. My understanding of the elements included in writing a blog has greatly improved, which also includes understanding the need for a good format, correct copyrighting of the images, audio, video, etc., as well as clearly presenting the content.
💗Reflection on course content
This course assisted me in critically summarising my original feelings concerning using the Internet. I felt there is another me on the Internet. Everything I posted, liked, commented on the internet built the personal image I want to create on the internet. And I realized others can learn more about me and how I used to be by browsing my account online. During Week 6, we were made aware that our actions online would be recorded. Moreover, upon reflecting on a blog that I posted several years ago, I felt dissatisfied with the comments or pictures, and yet it was difficult to delete. This is because once an object or text is publicly posted online it can easily be reproduced and stored by a third party.
Therefore, for future instances, I will pay more attention to the opinions and images I post publicly on the web as well as ensure that my personal information is only available to my family and friends. I will also aim to be careful in offering my exact location, phone number, or personal information when posting blogs since it may lead to theft, cybercrime, public embarrassment, unwanted marketing, etc. of posting such information on the Internet.
Moreover, this course has widened my knowledge concerning our digital society. For instance, Week 7’s topic, “The Rise of Simulated Spaces,” was of interest as it illustrated how virtual worlds are not only a source of entertainment but can also have medical applications. However, I also became aware of the potential risks associated with Meta’s collection of sensitive information. Therefore, I understand the necessity of ensuring a responsible use of technological tools such as Meta as this platform contains a great deal of personal information.
💗Reflection on personal development
The “Digital Society” course has greatly contributed to my personal development. A key takeaway gained from this course was the emphasis on critical thinking when navigating the Internet. This concerns the surplus of information that is available online; thus, it becomes vital to be able to discern reliable sources while also filtering out misinformation. I am now more confident in evaluating the credibility of sources. Even if a post has been widely circulated, I don’t choose to believe it outright. For example, during the epidemic, citizens on the Internet described their living conditions, and I chose to browse through different people’s statements and comments on multiple platforms to make my own judgment.
In conclusion, this course has successfully widened my knowledge of the digital world as well as equipped me with the skills necessary to effectively navigate that online space.
