Commercial Surveillance State
“news commentators’ recent discussions of propaganda efforts over social media have largely been framed as a “fake news” problem. In this telling, the Russian government, Cambridge Analytica, or Facebook are at fault for circulating false information. But this is only part of the story. What’s now emerging more clearly into public view are the enabling conditions of this crisis: the unwieldy and disconcerting capacities of the vast apparatus of surveillance and targeted influence that’s come to serve as the economic base of the commercial internet.
“The tactics of carefully targeted, data-driven manipulation—though innovative and destabilizing—are not entirely new. They predate the existence of Cambridge Analytica, and Facebook, and the contemporary notion of “fake news” itself. For decades, digital marketers—working in both commercial and political domains—have been perfecting models for using consumer data to identify and manipulate decision-making vulnerabilities.”
The tactics of carefully targeted, data-driven manipulation—though innovative and destabilizing—are not entirely new. They predate the existence of Cambridge Analytica, and Facebook, and the contemporary notion of “fake news” itself. For decades, digital marketers—working in both commercia…
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