Metrics and Analytics: lj 2

 Metrics and Analytics

The core nature of most modern social media platforms that we use today can best be compared to that of an unregulated playground. Where every activity, commentary, and posts are carefully tracked, analyzed, and shared without the users’ permissions. Every time someone log on to their social media account, they unknowingly leave behind a so-called digital footprint. These digital footprints can be as simple as a single post of Twitter. Where aside from the content of the tweet itself, the post may also contain a plethora of other small chunks of data, such as location, time and date (Lipschultz, 2017). These little pieces of data together form “big data”, which is a large block of information that is shared between different layers within the social media website. The algorithm then performs measurements on this shared information and categorizes them based on different criteria such as topic, theme, or key words.

What was the point of all this? Social media organizations are still in fact, big companies that prioritize revenue above all else. By performing these measurements, these companies can gain a better understanding about their users, and from there develop different strategies that will help raising earnings, lowering costs and increasing satisfaction among customers (Lipschultz, 2017). At a glance, these tactics may appear harmless and innocent as the data that are gathered serve nothing more than to fulfill basic business goals. However, a significant number of users have voiced many concerns regarding personal privacy and the ethics of obtaining information without consent. Despite these negative feedbacks, even till today there is has yet a clear definition that define the ethical, as well as legal framework pertaining to users’ data privacy within the realm of social media.

Knowing how these social media websites can practically gain control over users’ information without their knowledges did leave me with some concerns of my own. While I have long been aware of this practice, I never imagined how grand of a scale this issue can really be. Practically all information, whether personal or not, can be utilized, measured, and distributed to whoever that wants those data the most. There is no guarantee that my personal data does not end up in the hands of those with malicious intents. Therefore, it is best that I understand how to protect myself while using these platforms. Starting with double checking my contents before posting, avoid oversharing, and revealing any sensitive information that could potentially put me, or my loved ones in danger. 

 

Citation:

Lipschultz, J. H. (2017). Social Media Communication: Concepts, Practices, Data, Law and Ethics (Second). Routledge: Taylor & Francis Group.