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Targets and Waste
Social Profiling and Your Role as the Consumer
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POP QUIZ
1. Facebook alters your news feed and advertisements not only
based on your information, but also on your friends’
information.
2. Everyone receives the same search results when searching the
same phrase.
3. Your name and information can be sold to advertisers, allowing
them to market products directly to you.
4. Google can determine the type of computer you are using
5. The internet is perceived to be a space with the freedom to
choose.
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Yes…More Questions
6. Once you delete your cookies, your browsing history is deleted
from your computer.
7. When buying airline tickets, the prices are the same for
everyone
8. Internet news sources can be tailored to an individuals interests
and activities.
9. Everyone who uses the internet has a consumer profile.
10. Advertisements are not related to your socioeconomic status.
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Answers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
True
False
True
True
True
False
False
True
True
False
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Ted Talk: Eli Pariser
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Online Activities Have
Consequences
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Consequences
• Information is recorded through cookies and sold to insurance
companies, credit agencies, and advertisers
• This information, YOUR information, becomes a part of an information
silo, and your online reputation may precede personal impressions
• This information then becomes recycled as advertisers
personalize their content to entice you to buy their products
• However, depending on the information they know, the price
given to you will be different than your peers
• Online shopping activities can be used to determine credit and
can influence loan rates
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Media Buying
• Traditional media buying agencies purchase time and space on
different mediums, typically television
• “New” media buying has risen in the age of the internet
• These buyers pay for specific information on consumers in order to serve
internet users ads that they will pay attention to
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Limited Choice
• Reputation Silo: advertisers are able to construct an online profile based on your
internet activity
• This perceived online reputation allows advertisers to provide you with
“personalized” content
• Target vs. Waste
• Based on your online reputation through media devices advertisers determine if you
are worth their advertising dollars and time
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Example of Limited Choice
Chris
Abby
• According to his fantasy
• Abby, a frequent online
league profile, Chris is 16.
• Chris “Likes” Baseball,
sports, Derek Jeter, and Nike
on Facebook
• According to his assumed
identity, Chris receives
television and weight training
ads online
shopper, is 16
• Abby “Likes” reading,
Channing Tatum, and various
charities on Facebook
• According to her assumed
identity, Abby receives body
image and style ads online
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Example of Limited Choice
Chris
Abby
• Chris needs new running
shoes to prepare for his
upcoming baseball season
• Abby needs new running
shoes because she wants to
start exercising
Chris and Abby both search
“shoes” on Google
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Example of Limited Choice
Chris
• Chris receives an ad for a
printable coupon for the
newest pair of Nike shoes for
25% off
Abby
• After sifting through ads for
Sketcher Shape-Ups, Abby
finally finds a pair of last
year’s Nike shoes that are
15% off
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Choice
• The internet is perceived to be a space with the freedom to
choose, be it between websites or between products
• Government regulation (Such as SOPA) has been consistently blocked in
order to maintain this perception
• Ad companies are trying to track your choices to they can offer
you similar items, or ads pertaining to your specific identity
• Do these actions support free choice?
• With the help of collected data, ad companies can edit prices,
products and the deals that individuals see on the internet
• Does this support the notion of equality?
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How Do Companies Track You?
• Companies primarily track your behavioral data
• Advertising Data has show that advertising targeted through user
profiling received higher click rates that ads based on content
• Cookies
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Privacy Issues
• Do you feel like your information is safe on the internet?
• What type of privacy should consumer’s have on the internet?
• Consumers are being tracked across the internet and being valued
by companies based on where they click
• Your internet experience is tailored to your previous activities
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What Can You Do?
• Do you believe you can delete your “online footprint”? If so,
how?
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The Underlying Issues
• Why may the “Target” and “Waste” system reflect potentially
grave issues regarding social division?
• A form of discrimination?
• Values certain individuals within society; does this create a class hierarchy?
• Does this work against an individual’s identity? How so?
• Are there other implications?