Companies and Algorithms: LJ3

Throughout our readings, we have gone deeper and deeper into social media and what it means for us as consumers. Chapter 6 goes into this by drawing the parallels between commercialization and data. One of the readings, the article “We are data: Algorithms and the Making of our Digital Selves” also supports this as it says “…data itself had become a business, maybe even the central commodity for digital capital” (Cheney-Lippold, 2019). We are, as the title suggests, data. I think that these readings are superb. It has caused a lot of self-reflection. I feel that we have become a series of code words and interactions. How much we comment, how long we watch, and what we buy all become connected to our new online identity. The word cloud assignment illustrates how an algorithm might recognize some of the frequent words that we might like which might influence our spending habits. We navigate the internet at the price of our privacy. Nonetheless, this is something we do willingly. When companies target ads, they do so under the guise of terms and conditions. If one wants to be a part of this online world then one must conform to its requirements. I think that our assignments have caused me to look into just how impactful our social media habits are. It is a customizable, personal experience to get advertisers the most bang for their buck. However, knowing this information I feel does not affect my social media habits. It is crazy to think how much depth there is to the subject, yet I still want to be a part of it. I don’t think it is ethically wrong. It is like the social contract except it is the social media contract. I click away my identity for access. While I definitely think this has caused me to ensure my social footprint is professional and won’t result in negative consequences, most of my behavior is the same. I’m an active, consenting participant. At the end of the day, I am glad I am knowledgeable and can make my own decisions. I would not want it any other way.

References

Cheney-Lippold, J. (2019). We are data: Algorithms and the Making of our Digital Selves (pp.9–13). Preface, New York University Press.

Cheney-Lippold, J. (2019). We are data: Algorithms and the Making of our Digital Selves (pp. 3–36). Introduction, New York University Press.