The next time you’re browsing on your computer, and you see a quiz on Facebook or another social media site that looks appealing, think before you click.
With the political season back upon us, you need to be aware of how the data you share in these quizzes might be used.
You might not think that a quiz about your favorite foods or personality type will be beneficial to political parties but, these days, you never know. Any data you share could ultimately be used for political profiling.
What is political profiling?
Profiling is a method of analyzing individuals’ data to classify them into groups or sectors. Political parties have used profiling techniques for decades, but it has entered a new realm in light of the internet.
With tools like artificial intelligence and data analytics, political parties can create detailed profiles about individuals and groups, which could even be used to unethically manipulate their political choices through fake news and social media advertisements.
It sounds scary – and it is! Most of us may remember the Cambridge Analytica scandal of 2018.
In this event, Cambridge Analytica collected the data of millions of people via an app called This Is Your Digital Life. The app was an online survey that asked users questions about their political preferences and personality traits. All of the answers given in this quiz were then used for data analysis during the 2016 presidential election campaign.
As a side note, if you’re worried about third parties having access to your data, contact us. We can help you improve your online data privacy and reduce unwanted advertisements.
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