Week 15 Part B: What we Learn from Facebook Analytics

 Week 15 Part B: What we Learn From Facebook Analytics

    It is crazy how our phones can track everything we look up. There are times when I am hanging out with my friends and we're talking about a specific thing like Burger King and next thing you know my Facebook is flooded with Burger King ads. Our lives today are not so private, because our phones track our every move! I personally do not care if my phone keeps track of what I look up on the internet, I actually find it useful when I want to buy something and I forget but my Facebook news feed reminds me of it by showing me an ad. But I can see why people might not like that, it is an invasion of your privacy and companies should not have access to your information. 

    Apple's new iOS 14.5 upgrade gives their users the option to opt out of data tracking across all platforms. That basically means if you search something on the internet or google, platforms like Facebook and Instagram can't pull your data information to use. Facebook and Instagram use this data to customize ads that are designed specifically for you. For example if I google Nike on my phone Facebook takes that data and saves it for when I go on Facebook I will get a bunch of Nike ads and promotions. Like I said earlier I do not have an issue with this personally but I can see how this is an invasion of privacy. 

    I do think people should have the option to choose whether or not their data gets taken and used for advertisement and who knows what else. In 2010 the founder of Apple, Steve Jobs said in one of his last interviews before passing, that people have the right to know what they are signing up for and that they have the right to know what these company's are going to do with their data. The current CEO of Apple Tim Cook said that the data industrial complex is making it that we are no longer in control of our lives and going from customer to the product. I don't like that these companies are able to get my location but the other stuff I do not mind. 

    The wall street journal made a list of the data Apple took from consumers compared to what kind of data Facebook messenger takes from their users. The list was really different, Apple only takes your phone number, on the other hand Facebook messenger takes about 15 things that includes location, financial information, physical address, photos, videos, etc. After seeing that list I can see why people would not want these companies to harvest their data. On the other hand I can see how stopping companies from taking our data could affect businesses, especially small businesses. 

    Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerburg said that this new Apple iOS update will be devastating to small businesses that depend on this data harvesting for exposure. I think that is why this issue is so complicated because on one hand you don't want your data to be harvested and used in ways you wouldn't want to, and on the other hand you don't want to see small businesses go under because of this new update. Mark Zuckerburg last year launched a feature on Facebook and Instagram that allows brands to sell directly from Facebook and Instagram. I think this will help businesses get around the Apple update and also keep companies from harvesting peoples data. At the end of the day I am all for people having their privacy and being able to decide how their data is being used. But I am also all for small businesses being able to promote themselves on social media. Only time will tell where this issue is headed and to be honest I think Apple and Facebook will have the last say and not the people.