Do you ever wonder why certain ads pop up on your computer? Do you ever notice that those ads are usually relevant to you? This is because essentially every little move we make on the Internet is being tracked. If I am a frequent visitor to the website for Women’s Health Magazine, I am more likely to get advertisements for health and fitness. In his Huffington Post article “Don’t Be Naked” Marty Kaplan looks at the ironic nature of today’s technology. While we are more empowered than ever, we are also vulnerable to advertisers and other industries looking for prey.
Whenever we search for something on Google or watch a Youtube video, we are giving away little clues about who we are. On Facebook and Twitter, programs are able to comprehend what we post about most often. Netflix suggests films and television shows based on what we’ve already rented. Using GPS, websites are now able to track where we are…a predator’s dream. In my opinion, I think it is a little creepy how today’s technology makes us to trackable. Similar to telemarketing, companies are paying sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ to gain information about users in order to appeal to them more. As Kaplan points out, the information we are sharing on the Internet is “fueling a burgeoning industry.” So be careful what you put out there…you could be paying the wages for a company you’ve never even heard of that promotes meaningless products!
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Marty Kaplan is the Norman Lear Professor of Entertainment, Media and Society at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism.
