Puppy Internet

[Part II]

I suspect that many people think that they know exactly how the Internet works, and know every click leaves a trace, which companies like Google and Facebook are just waiting for. They know and accept it. The possibility of finding information in a matter of seconds, which without the web would be practically inaccessible is worth the small surveillance. But the question is whether the surveillance is really small? How much personal information have you already voluntarily passed on? How this information is used? And above all, who’s making money on it?

Returning to the story with my Kindle. By the way, I changed its name and call it the Little Spy from now on. The Little Spy adapts to my interests and tries to anticipate what I want. But on the other hand, how the hell does he know what I want? Why does a program filter all my web moves and clicks and work out an algorithm to which I don’t even have access to?

Here I come to the point. Google, Facebook and Amazon are all leaders of the new Internet revolution, which is called personalization. Companies collect data about our tastes, to offer us something similar, because things alike sell. This include products such as books, but also information as such. Say you have right-wing political views, with personalized search it is unlikely that you’ll come across information from left-wing groups; the algorithm assumes that you’re not interested in those news. When updating your Facebook status or uploading a photo, don’t be surprised that not all your ‘Friends’ get to see it. EdgeRank – Facebook’s algorithm, displays you activity only to those people who have previously shown interest in your profile and vice versa.

Simply put, complex algorithms are gradually replacing grey cells, deciding what you read and what you believe the world looks like. It all happening in white gloves. Did anyone ask you whether you accept having your Internet personalized?

So back to the question whether it is worth knowing or not. Definitely it’s good to know. Then you can complain, but you need to remain aware. Today’s he Internet is like a little puppy, you want to cuddle it all the time and rub its ear, but all of a sudden the carpet is pissed all over your slippers are chewed. The whole process of personalization of the Internet will still have to undergo a phase of domestication. That is the tedious teaching the puppy to pee outside and sit on command. For now, it is us that is led on a leash. Google makes no secret that in the future it wants it’s search engine to be able to answer questions like ‘Should I change my job?’.

More in the next and closing post on this topic.

[Part I] - click here