A good chunk of us think we are able to avoid the influence of targeted ads (i.e. the Internet). We pride ourselves on how we are able to scroll pass through those at SoMe platforms. We think we are invincible, better than others. However we are far more volatile than we want to admit. I will give you an example of someone who is very close to me. Let’s call her Rosa Luxemburg, or simply Rosa.
Rosa has astonishing education and experience. She happens to be expert in economics and has been fighting system her whole life, always on the side of people. Rosa were part of rebellions against wars and dictatorships. When comes to written word, she is a hermit. Her house is full of books, from Das Kapital til Bardo Thodol. Despite the lover of the paper, she is extremely versed in all things digital. She was an architect of IT systems in 90s, and since the inception of tablets, she has been “connected” to the Internet. So she left some digital marks in multi decades of usage. Rosa has been pensioner over the last 10 years. Recently Rosa became grandmother, and has been busy with her grandchild. Rosa has soft heart for Christmas, probably because in her country of origin Christmas was never accompanied with lights, markets that smell on cinnamon, clove, and rum, and fairytale like decorated (dead) pine trees.
The last two things which I am pointing are two Achilles’ heel / exploitation points targeted ads system (i.e. the Algorithm) leverage against Rosa. I will show you how.
This morning Rosa have sent me a link to Instagram asking me to buy something for her grandchild that she cannot find in her place of residence. Not having Instagram account anymore, as they require to supply telephone number, I had to jump a few hoops to open the video. I ended up using Imginn. We will decompose and analyse Instagram video frame by frame to show you how decisive targeted ads are and how they exploit our weaknesses.
Video: https://imginn.com/reel/Dd31gD5IMrM/
Already at the first frame we see “IKEA” employees. IKEA being Swedish, thus Scandinavian, and well recognisable brand, airs the notion of trust. Rosa has been many times in different Scandinavian countries and she has a firm belief that Scandinavians are trustworthy. The algorithm knows that, and it knows she loves Christmas. The trap is set, her critical thinking, i.e. shield against the ads, is switched off. She is receptive to anything that comes after this:
What comes in following frames is the reveal of a special Christmas lamp, which projects an absolute incredible Christmas scenery on the room ceiling :
Notice that algorithm purposely placed young kids in the room.
Rosa is checked-mated, she wants instantaneous to buy this IKEA lamp! It is a must-have, her grandchild will be as happy as these kids running in the room. Despite decades of nurturing critical thinking, filters, radars, … she was unfortunately defeated by the algorithm.
As I could not give a damn about Christmas, since the religion is opium for masses, and any holiday is nothing more than a chance for capitalist to profit from workers, I had my shields on. I gave a call to Rosa.
I have explained to her that she was tricked, pointing to her that the ad was AI generated to target her specific profile. First, IKEA never has pompous ads like this. Actually as a recognisable brand, they really don’t need to target ads on Instagram in my opinion. Second, a small lamp like this cannot project so astonishing scenery, you need something far more powerful and expensive probably on par to the one used in astronomical observatories. Finally I pointed out to her how they used the knowledge they have about her, through browsing history, especially around needs for grandchildren, her travel plans, etc.
Pensioners were always an easy target group, a milking cow of telecom operators, Neckermann catalogs, bogus TV sale channels, and today’s Internet. But they are not the only target. Do not think for a second that you are special and that you are immune, because you are not! We all have our Achilles’ heel and we have been, are and will be targeted.
Awareness is critical, remedy is DO NOT BUY THINGS if you DO NOT NEED THEM TO SURVIVE!
Go for a walk in nature.
Get out of the algorithmically confined 2D world.
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