Insta...safe?
In a world focused on filters, likes and comments we can to quickly forget that there may be more to our public media then we realize. We post and follow people, places and hashtages with ease and speed but did we ever stop and think about who is watching us. I have had some scary moments when it feels like my social media accounts are reading my mind and in a way it is.
Your accounts are constantly tracking your habits while you are enjoying your daily dose of celebrity pictures, travel destinations or what your friend had for lunch that day. They use these patterns and interests to personally tailor information to your accounts. Some might think this is great, having posts or information that interests you presented without you even having to do anything. That programs can manage information at an immense volume and then convert it to my personal needs is a bit mind blowing.
On the other hand do you really want someone deciding what media path you take or having access to your behaviors online. I for one shiver at the thought of lack of control when it comes to online privacy. I fear loosing my ability to decide and think critically about what I see or choose to see because the powers that be are deciding for me.
Your accounts are constantly tracking your habits while you are enjoying your daily dose of celebrity pictures, travel destinations or what your friend had for lunch that day. They use these patterns and interests to personally tailor information to your accounts. Some might think this is great, having posts or information that interests you presented without you even having to do anything. That programs can manage information at an immense volume and then convert it to my personal needs is a bit mind blowing.
On the other hand do you really want someone deciding what media path you take or having access to your behaviors online. I for one shiver at the thought of lack of control when it comes to online privacy. I fear loosing my ability to decide and think critically about what I see or choose to see because the powers that be are deciding for me.
I began the experiment by creating a fake Instagram account with no personal information or even a profile picture to keep it as anonymous as possible. While navigating the Instagram page I used “travel” as my search topic. I then began to like, and follow individuals or larger parties such as national geographic that showed travel within their posts or hashtags.
I quickly noticed my home page would be filled with beautiful images from across the globe based on my choices of who to follow and what pictures I liked. After only a couple of days checking in regularly my Instagram account began including advertisements such as popular travel destination spots, airline companies and even travel accessory items to purchase. The assumption by Instagram was that because I enjoyed travel images I would utilize these adds and links for further purchases.
Not only was my home page flooded with adds but I began to notice my followers were strangers from all over the world some of whom I had chosen to follow. Although this was interesting to now be connected to such variety of individuals I now had complete access to their pages and all their images and information. Instagram began suggesting followers and these were again strangers but all within the umbrella search of travel I had began the experiment using but also a few celebrity accounts followed by the masses.
This experiment was a great display about how quickly and often my personal data had been tracked and manipulated. Instagram began deciding for me what information I needed to see or might find interesting. This is happening not only on social media sites but in everything we do online. Although at times it seems helpful the fear is that we lose all sense of control or the ability to make critical decisions about content we are seeing.
When we post, and share our information or photographs we are giving away our rights to these products. If an artist posts work, they have created those images now belong to the site used. Your information is extremely important not only now but in the future. We must work to protect ourselves. Please check out the video posted below from some simple tips on protecting your Instagram account.
Thank you for taking the time to visit this page and I hope its been extremely helpful for you.
-Merijam