Because emotionally roused viewers are more susceptible to advertising messages: The service’s algorithm, designed to reward content that elicits emotion, made it a perfect tool for Russian propagandists to spread disinformation during the 2016 election. Source: Instagram Looks Like Facebook’s Best Hope – Bloomberg Nice to see others recognizing that Facebook emotionally manipulates people.
Not sure “ethics” and “Facebook” can cohabitate in the same sentence: The ethical use of the psychology behind social media, particularly Facebook. Facebook has a staff of psychologists, who as we can now see, help develop methods of controlling Facebook users, leading to ethical questions by other psychologists. Source: Ethics, Psychology, Facebook & Cambridge Analytica – Kara Lambert
From the 2016 memo: “Maybe someone dies in a terrorist attack coordinated on our tools … And still we connect people.” Andrew Bosworth now says he didn’t mean what he said, you know, it was just fake news. And Facebook staff are experts at fake news! Hah hah! Source: Facebook is defending itself again after an internal memo suggested growth was more important than user safety – Recode
Facebook admits their system is designed to dupe people and treat Facebook users like, in Zuckerberg’s own words, “Dumb Fucks“. We connect people. Period. That’s why all the work we do in growth is justified. All the questionable contact importing practices. All the subtle language that helps people stay searchable by friends. All of the work we do to bring more communication in. The work we will likely have to do in China some day. All of it,” VP Andrew…
As this blog has noted, much of social media has devolved into a culture of perpetual outrage by angry people often consumed with hate. This sort of social media is not fun to be around. Advertisers are noticing this too: “Unilever will not invest in platforms or environments that do not protect our children or which create division in society, and promote anger or hate,” Unilever Chief Marketing Officer Keith Weed is expected to say Monday during the Interactive Advertising…
This linked piece was shared into my FB news feed. The item argues that President Trump suffers a fragile ego and is constantly looking for affirmation from others. The column says people seek to increase their “tribal self esteem” by strengthening their group membership, by, for example, spreading online propaganda messaging in support of their cause – and denigrating those who think otherwise (for any reason). The column quotes from Nathaniel Branden: “It would be hard to name a more…
Life Time fitness, a chain of gyms in the U.S. and Canada has removed all cable news channels from the televisions displayed throughout their facility, as customers complained that the constant barrage of news was not healthy. Source: Life Time fitness chain blacks out all-news TV channels – StarTribune.com That we need to be constantly entertained while doing something like exercise illustrates how ingrained media consumption (and manipulation!) has become. But it is interesting to see that many others are…
Staying informed is a strength, but for many people it’s mushroomed into an obsession with the news. Source: My therapy clients can’t tear themselves away from the news — and it’s messing with their lives – The Washington Post Personally, I found that certain subjects were “triggering” anxiety in me and I have cut way back on news and social media consumption. I also unfollowed or unfriended individuals who spent most of their social media time baiting people with hostile…
I ran across a link to an old CNN Money financial news report from October 24, 2016. Every speculation made in this news report was wrong and illustrates how much “news” is not really reporting on events but is speculation about the future. One week before the 2016 Presidential election, CNN Money’s report is titled A Trump win would sink stocks. What about Clinton? by Heather Long @byHeatherLong Key points: If Donald Trump wins, U.S. stocks – and likely…
Highlighting the work of social psychologist Roy Baumeister, Seppälä points out that our brain’s “tendency to give more weight to the negative may have helped our species survive by highlighting potential dangers.” “However, in this day and age, our negativity bias, both as it relates to the environment and to our self-judgments, is harmful,” she writes. Source: Psychologist says this mindset makes you happier and successful Attributes of social media – especially the angry, negative posts – may be overloading…