Leaks reveal Facebook planning to target emotionally vulnerable and insecure youth

Biggest lickspittle on boardz

FACEBOOK has come under fire over revelations it is targeting potentially vulnerable youths who “need a confidence boost” to facilitate predatory advertising practices.
The allegation was revealed this morning by The Australian which obtained internal documents from the social media giant which reportedly show how Facebook can exploit the moods and insecurities of teenagers using the platform for the potential benefit of advertisers.
The confidential document dated this year detailed how by monitoring posts, comments and interactions on the site, Facebook can figure out when people as young as 14 feel “defeated”, “overwhelmed”, “stressed”, “anxious”, “nervous”, “stupid”, “silly”, “useless”, and a “failure”.

http://www.news.com.au/technology/online/social/leaked-document-reveals-facebook-conducted-research-to-target-emotionally-vulnerable-and-insecure-youth/news-story/d256f850be6b1c8a21aec6e32dae16fd


After the revelations that Zuckerberg personally called user who trust Facebook 'dumb fucks', you would really have to start questioning just what Facebook is doing at this point. It is no longer a social media tool, but more of a social engineering and mass surveillance programme at this point.

Are you still sharing your entire life on Facebook, or have you started to become more cautious in light of recent events?

pilly

Gave up Facebook over 2 years ago, not because of being exploited but because it's so fake it's unreal. Best thing I ever did.

Wanderer78

I'm still amazed that people are amazed of the marketing nature of (anti) social media. The mind boggles!

Boom_Bap

An apparent IM conversation from 15 years ago. This is soooooo legit.

Panthro

Got sick of it nearly two years ago.
Back to the old skool ways for me... home phone calls, text messages, WhatsApp, Viber, Twitter that sort of thing..!

Beta Ray Bill

Biggest lickspittle on boardz wrote: »

Are you still sharing your entire life on Facebook, or have you started to become more cautious in light of recent events?

Nope

I closed mine years ago.
Facebook will be worth nothing soon anyway.

Kids aren't using it as much anymore because their parents are on it.
They're all on snapchat now.

Regardless Facebook is an amazing tool in some ways in terms of being able to reach out to a huge audience. In other ways it totally consumes peoples lives. The worst of which is people need/obligation to post pictures of themselves "Being Happy". It's all a facade. I think the sooner it's gone the better!

pilly wrote: »

Gave up Facebook over 2 years ago, not because of being exploited but because it's so fake it's unreal. Best thing I ever did.

Exactly.

The fakeness of everyone having a good time, when the truth is they probably aren't isn't good for people.
IE Everyone looking at everyone else having a good time and wondering why they aren't having a good time when in reality no one is having a good time. (If that makes sense)
Terrible for peoples self esteem

skankkuvhima

Ya, I closed my facebook account before facebook existed.

pilly

Don't think for one minute OP that Boards is not using the same marketing tools. I for one get targeted ads popping up.

Wanderer78

pilly wrote:

Don't think for one minute OP that Boards is not using the same marketing tools. I for one get targeted ads popping up.

Sure we all do, unfortunate drawback of the commercialisation of the interwebs

WHIP IT!

grahambo wrote: »

Nope

I closed mine years ago.
Facebook will be worth nothing soon anyway.

Kids aren't using it as much anymore because their parents are on it.
They're all on snapchat now.

Regardless Facebook is an amazing tool in some ways in terms of being able to reach out to a huge audience. In other ways it totally consumes peoples lives. The worst of which is people need/obligation to post pictures of themselves "Being Happy". It's all a facade. I think the sooner it's gone the better!



Exactly.

The fakeness of everyone having a good time, when the truth is they probably aren't isn't good for people.
IE Everyone looking at everyone else having a good time and wondering why they aren't having a good time when in reality no one is having a good time. (If that makes sense)
Terrible for peoples self esteem

I'm having a good time...

Biggest lickspittle on boardz

grahambo wrote: »

Nope

I closed mine years ago.
Facebook will be worth nothing soon anyway.

Kids aren't using it as much anymore because their parents are on it.
They're all on snapchat now.

Regardless Facebook is an amazing tool in some ways in terms of being able to reach out to a huge audience. In other ways it totally consumes peoples lives. The worst of which is people need/obligation to post pictures of themselves "Being Happy". It's all a facade. I think the sooner it's gone the better!

+1. This is essentially the worst part of it. Users have created an alternate online universe now that is completely devoid of reality. And the problem there is that they eventually start to believe their own hype. And the perception becomes reality for a lot of them.

They've essentially created their own Matrix for themselves. Organic fun and interaction is now replaced with staged photos and selfies. It's actually very boring having to associate with anyone who is this self obsessed, a night out is just them posing and preening every 30 seconds and trying to give the impression that they are the most fun person in the room.

There was a funny video doing the rounds last week of a boyfriend who turned the tables on his girlfriend who always wanted the best photo to share on social media:

Beta Ray Bill

WHIP IT! wrote: »

I'm having a good time...

skankkuvhima

Manny89

It's a great tool for keeping in touch with family, old school mates and friends abroad but like everything, it needs to be used in moderation. Some people spend way too much time on it and share things that really don't need to be shared with the world.

ThisRegard

Doesn't being insecure come part and parcel with being a youth?

Parchment

pilly wrote: »

Gave up Facebook over 2 years ago, not because of being exploited but because it's so fake it's unreal. Best thing I ever did.

Same. I never really used it much but for me (and i can only speak for me) it brought nothing positive to my life.

ThisRegard

For everyone saying that it's fake, brings nothing to your life, it's miserable etc, surely that's a reflection of your so called 'friends' circle rather than facebook.

Keep your 'friends' groups tight with actually real friends and people you want to keep in touch with and it's a pretty good tool.

pilly

When I saw someone post pictures at a funeral that's when I decided enough is enough.

pilly

ThisRegard wrote: »

For everyone saying that it's fake, brings nothing to your life, it's miserable etc, surely that's a reflection of your so called 'friends' circle rather than facebook.

Keep your 'friends; groups tight with actually real friends and people you want to keep in touch with and it's a pretty good tool.

It's a good point but you then get people offended that you won't friend them. That's what I found. "Oh you never replied to my friend request" etc. Find it easier just to say I'm not on Facebook.

Kimbot

pilly wrote: »

It's a good point but you then get people offended that you won't friend them. That's what I found. "Oh you never replied to my friend request" etc. Find it easier just to say I'm not on Facebook.

Yeah I just tell them to jog on, cant be dealing with the stress of some strangers wanting to know what Im doing with my life.

ThisRegard

pilly wrote: »

It's a good point but you then get people offended that you won't friend them. That's what I found. "Oh you never replied to my friend request" etc. Find it easier just to say I'm not on Facebook.

I've got more outstanding friends requests than accepted friends on it, bizarrely many that in real life I'd hardly talk to. When someone does ask, which is rare, I just tell them there's no point as I don't really use it anyway.

gerrybbadd

Panthro wrote: »

Got sick of it nearly two years ago.
Back to the old skool ways for me... home phone calls, text messages, WhatsApp, Viber, Twitter that sort of thing..!

Old skool - That makes me feel old!

Wanderer78

pilly wrote: »

When I saw someone post pictures at a funeral that's when I decided enough is enough.

that is truly bizarre behaviour

Beta Ray Bill

pilly wrote: »

When I saw someone post pictures at a funeral that's when I decided enough is enough.

Jesus, seriously?

It really is the social age, where ignorant snow flake millennials rule all.

I'm a millennial btw!!!

andekwarhola

More backslapping in here than a national first aid convention.

bodice ripper

Man, I WISH someone was gathering my data for directed advertising. All I get on YouTube are poxy ads for soy yoghurt. And suggested pages for her.ie and make up artists. What the ****? Apparently the only thing they have gleaned about me is am female.

Hande hoche!

Must get round to reading that Adam Alter book.

CoolHandBandit

Never signed up to Facebook and never will. It's for narcissistic idiots.

WHIP IT!

CoolHandBandit wrote: »

Never signed up to Facebook and never will. It's for idiots.

You're cool :cool:

Hande hoche!

CoolHandBandit wrote: »

Never signed up to Facebook and never will. It's for narcissistic idiots.

How about Bebo?

CoolHandBandit

WHIP IT! wrote: »

You're cool :cool:

I wouldn't consider myself cool in the slightest tbh.

"Hey look here's a picture of a sunset" or "Look little Jacinta is growing up fast". Fcuk off.....

Potential-Monke

I'm only still on it to use it to perv on women i'll never have a chance with... *deep breath* *sigh*

CoolHandBandit

Hande hoche! wrote: »

How about Bebo?

What's that? Justin Bebo do you mean?

Wibbs

Wanderer78 wrote: »

I'm still amazed that people are amazed of the marketing nature of (anti) social media. The mind boggles!

Yep. When it became evident that people wouldn't be too quick to pay for anything on the new online world, it was realised that to make money entities like FB and Google and the rest would make the people themselves the resource. And what a resource. Billions made in data mining and acquisition to sell on to all those who want such information to sell more stuff, from phones to food to politics. And best of all people line up in droves happy to provide it. That's the part Orwell missed about 1984, that people would actively sign up to Big Brother.

Hande hoche!

CoolHandBandit wrote: »

What's that? Justin Bebo do you mean?

Never mind, feeling a bit long in the tooth.

osarusan

I'm on facebook. I use it to keep in contact with friends. I don't subscribe to/follow any news organisations or 'influencers' or stuff like that.

I occasionally see that stuff when friends have liked it or commented on it or whatever, but I just scroll on past.

If people just don't like the concept, that's fine. But a lot of what people complain about (in terms of what they keep seeing on facebook) is stuff that have the ability to change.

The_Valeyard

Got rid of facebook about two years ago now. Young people are abandoning facebook. I think facebook is becoming like the Golden Pages or telephone directory.

Closed nearly all my social media outlets.

I use whatsapp/viber/discord to keep in contact with family and friends, etc. People who I actually want to hear from.

Only using Reddit and Boards at present. Along with one or two gaming forums.

ThisRegard

The_Valeyard wrote: »

People who I actually want to hear from.

You know you can do that with Facebook don't you, or did you create your own problem by befriending all and sundry?

ohnonotgmail

Boom_Bap wrote: »

An apparent IM conversation from 15 years ago. This is soooooo legit.

where is the mention of a 15 year old IM conversation?

osarusan

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

where is the mention of a 15 year old IM conversation?

In the second link provided in the OP.

ohnonotgmail

osarusan wrote: »

In the second link provided in the OP.

didnt spot the second link. cheers.

the_syco

grahambo wrote: »

Facebook will be worth nothing soon anyway.

Kids aren't using it as much anymore because their parents are on it.

So... Facebook is now used by people who probably have money to spend on it's games, apps, and whose market research stats will probably be worth more?

the_syco

pilly wrote: »

Don't think for one minute OP that Boards is not using the same marketing tools. I for one get targeted ads popping up.

Subscribers can turn the ads off.

Anything that is free is using your browsing history to sell stuff to you.

neonsofa

Never signed up for it and now that I am getting curious and considering signing up everybody I know is deleting theirs late to the party as always

The_Valeyard

ThisRegard wrote: »

You know you can do that with Facebook don't you, or did you create your own problem by befriending all and sundry?

No. But now I dont constant updates, photos of food or like this picture to cure cancer.

One eyed Jack

Biggest lickspittle on boardz wrote: »

http://www.news.com.au/technology/online/social/leaked-document-reveals-facebook-conducted-research-to-target-emotionally-vulnerable-and-insecure-youth/news-story/d256f850be6b1c8a21aec6e32dae16fd


After the revelations that Zuckerberg personally called user who trust Facebook 'dumb fucks', you would really have to start questioning just what Facebook is doing at this point. It is no longer a social media tool, but more of a social engineering and mass surveillance programme at this point.

But that's what social media tools are used for, is social engineering and mass surveillance, it's how practically any Web 2.0, "Big Data", IOT company works.

The idea that Facebook are now targeting emotionally vulnerable teens is nothing new, tumblr has dominated that marketplace since their inception, I see a lot of it gaining ground on YouTube now with teenage crusaders of all sorts doing all sorts to mark their place on the Internet (it's why Facebook is muscling in on that space with their Facebook Live service amongst others).

Nowadays it's not so much the company itself is valuable any more, it's the quality of the database of their user information. Bigger is always better in data mining -

http://www.cmswire.com/cms/customer-experience/marketing-bigger-better-stronger-faster-with-big-data-analytics-022412.php

Are you still sharing your entire life on Facebook, or have you started to become more cautious in light of recent events?

I think no matter what happens, you're always going to have people wanting to one-up each other and outdo each other and seek validation among their peers on social media. I don't think stories like this will make anyone more or less cautious than they were or weren't before!

conorhal

Biggest lickspittle on boardz wrote: »

http://www.news.com.au/technology/online/social/leaked-document-reveals-facebook-conducted-research-to-target-emotionally-vulnerable-and-insecure-youth/news-story/d256f850be6b1c8a21aec6e32dae16fd

After the revelations that Zuckerberg personally called user who trust Facebook 'dumb fucks', you would really have to start questioning just what Facebook is doing at this point. It is no longer a social media tool, but more of a social engineering and mass surveillance programme at this point.

Are you still sharing your entire life on Facebook, or have you started to become more cautious in light of recent events?

This isn't even the first or second time they've been caught at such hi-jinks:

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jul/02/facebook-apologises-psychological-experiments-on-users

"Facebook’s second most powerful executive, Sheryl Sandberg, has apologised for the conduct of secret psychological tests on nearly 700,000 users in 2012, which prompted outrage from users and experts alike.
The experiment, revealed by a scientific paper published in the March issue of Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences, hid "a small percentage" of emotional words from peoples' news feeds, without their knowledge, to test what effect that had on the statuses or "likes" that they then posted or reacted to."

Facebook seem very interested in manipulating the mood, attitude and political views of it's users. Which is no surprise when the rumor is that Zuckerberg intends to run for President.

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/01/zuckerberg-2020/513689/

And if Zuckerberg is indeed laying the groundwork for a possible run for office, the role of Facebook during such a race raises several huge questions. Facebook is a dominant force in the flow of news and information, and its engineers can—with the tweak of an algorithm—grab the attention of its users on a massive scale. Facebook can even toy with its users emotions, as skew an election, and that’s before considering how much personal data it has on the American people: Facebook, in the hands of a political operative, would put ordinary voter rolls to shame.

As mad as that sounds, it was a significant plot line in 'House of Cards' where a candidate used influence with a big data company to manipulate search results to deliver people a favourable opinion of him, and it's not as far fetched as you might think. Both Obama and Trump benefited from on line grass roots campaigns that eschewed traditional campaigning and instead targeted marginalised demographics and on line opinion shapers.


Facebook has been at the fore front also in developing algorithims to 'combat fake news', you have to wonder what other uses they could be applied to?

Zuckerberg even published a rather creepy globalist manifesto outlining his 'vision':

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/feb/16/mark-zuckerberg-new-facebook-manifesto-letter

ThisRegard

The_Valeyard wrote: »

No. But now I dont constant updates, photos of food or like this picture to cure cancer.

You can control all that also.

The_Valeyard

ThisRegard wrote: »

You can control all that also.

yeah, I'm not bothered. Easier with whatsapp.

pilly

ThisRegard wrote: »

You can control all that also.

An awful lot of work in maintaining all that crap though, for what particular reason? Just doesn't justify the effort for me.

BorneTobyWilde

Facebook is a monster, you could reveal a story about how they are behind a spate of child abductions and it would be all brushed under the carpet within a few days.