Saturday, January 16, 2021

Are You for Sale?

Last night I watched "The Social Dilemma" on Netflix. If you have the streaming service, especially if you have kids, I recommend during the hour and a half (a little more) to watch it. It's not really a conspiracy theory type documentary, but more of an elucidation of how social networks (and other "big tech" industries) have evolved under the advertising revenue model to the point that they now actually engage, subtly, in behavior modification. It also reminds, if you're not already aware, how social media can help to polarize individuals and groups (you are presented with stories, highlights, advertisements, etc. based on your own likes and dislikes, helping to further engrain those ideologies in your mind, while minimizing exposure to things that you might not agree with, or at least presenting things that you vehemently will argue against, rather than simply presenting everything news-worthy on an even, level scale). Something worth thinking about.

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