For many years, political operatives have been perfecting their use of the internet’s vast array of social media platforms, websites and digital tools.
Many sites offer the ability to ‘opt out’ of targeted advertisements, but doing so isn’t easy. Simplifying and standardizing opt-outs would help improve privacy on the web.
Rather than revealing an advertiser targeted you by your phone number or email address, Facebook may tell you it showed you a particular ad because you like Facebook. That’s not much help.
After 15 years of Facebook, the ways brands use it for marketing and advertising have changed – right alongside the way people make decisions as they scroll through a never-ending feed of information.
Facebook has been acting irresponsibly and selfishly, and promising to do better without actually improving. But that’s not the whole story: The company has some positive qualities, too.
The European Union has issued its first fine, cracking down on companies that misuse users’ personal data. Why hasn’t the US taken a similarly strong approach?
Without much delay, Facebook and Twitter could make significant changes to limit political manipulation and propaganda. Will they? And will users ask it of the social media giants?