> Isn't this the definition (or goal) of all advertising? I don't see the connection to the first half of the statement tying it to free products and services.
I believe it was "the product is the 'ability' to change your behavior"
So the difference here is that not only the sell it but it actually works because it can adapt to the people in realtime. This is probable what is scary..
Standard advertisement is already manipulation but it's more easy to know when it is advertisement (though it's arguable that there are also tricks to get around this for TV).
In my view it is indeed the advertisement industry going too far and being allowed anything. Social Media just build a product for its client and none of them have any doubt and limits when it comes to choosing between profits and ethics.
Advertisement is ok when it is honest and not manipulative.
In addition the product is sold for politics which is even more scary.
There are regulation in many countries about what's allowed or not in advertisement. In some cases it's not allowed to blatantly lie. Or it is not allowed to hide advertisement as content, etc...
It is possible to forbid micro-targetting and manipulative AI algorithms or other methods. Users & Regulators need to understand what is being done, and how the effects are harmful to society.
Well, for movies/tv it's well known they were used to get people to buy wedding rings, cigarettes, and many other things. Not the ads, the actual movie/tv show. When you see some character light up a cigarette with a cool pose IIRC that whole idea was started by the tobacco companies to the point now that most people just seem to assume you show someone smoking to make them appear cool. It's portrayed as cool either because of the way the shot is made the person acts, or because knowing their bad for you clearly this person likes take risks, live dangerously, so they're exciting.
> Isn't this the definition (or goal) of all advertising? I don't see the connection to the first half of the statement tying it to free products and services.
I believe it was "the product is the 'ability' to change your behavior"
So the difference here is that not only the sell it but it actually works because it can adapt to the people in realtime. This is probable what is scary..
Standard advertisement is already manipulation but it's more easy to know when it is advertisement (though it's arguable that there are also tricks to get around this for TV).
In my view it is indeed the advertisement industry going too far and being allowed anything. Social Media just build a product for its client and none of them have any doubt and limits when it comes to choosing between profits and ethics.
Advertisement is ok when it is honest and not manipulative.
In addition the product is sold for politics which is even more scary.
There are regulation in many countries about what's allowed or not in advertisement. In some cases it's not allowed to blatantly lie. Or it is not allowed to hide advertisement as content, etc...
It is possible to forbid micro-targetting and manipulative AI algorithms or other methods. Users & Regulators need to understand what is being done, and how the effects are harmful to society.