Actions in Facebook, Social Media, Tech Companies Train Artificial Intelligence

by | Apr 11, 2018 | Business | 0 comments

Facebook Artificial Intelligence
Facebook Artificial Intelligence

The Congressional Hearing of Mark Zuckerberg is taking place right now. All the questioning of Facebook’s practices are weakly attacking it’s advertising business, which I agree is an issue, but not the main one. It is just being used as a diversion to what I believe is the real value that tech companies in the 21st covet the most – the development of Artificial Intelligence.

Everytime you perform and action on Facebook, from liking a post, reading an article, watching a video or simply scrolling, you are providing information. That information is logged and run through an algorithm connected to your profile.

The results returned determine what ads you are shown, what content goes in your news feed, and probability of who you are (how much money you make, political affiliation and other interests). The goal of these computations is to show ads you’re more likely to click, keep you on Facebook longer and further build a profile on you interests, wants and affiliations.

With that profile, companies like Cambridge Analytica were able scrape and create their own database of profiles, overlayed with others, in which they’ve claimed to have over 5,000 selects, or data points like sex, possibly how often you have sex (example bellow on how you might accomplish this), interests and so on. I am not sure of specifics; indicated by the “like” comparison.

Cambridge Analytica used this data, whether scraped or collected through other means to consult with political organizations to target ads that spread all sorts of information. Having your thoughts seen affects people, even if they don’t click. It’s called display advertising.

5,000 variables is a lot of data statistics, multiplied by 80 million profiles – doing the math in my head, you get a number like 400,000,000,000 or 400 trillion. No time to check – let me know if I’m right. Regardless, that’s a shit ton of actions or determinations. Those determinations are computed into statistical simulations through algorithms.

How many actions could you run through a game of The Sims?

Now, Cambridge Analytica is a 3rd party to Facebook. How much data does Facebook have? I’m guessing more than the 3rd parties.

The real threat of Facebook is not leaking our personal data, but using it to train a super Artificial Intelligence.




 

Reach Consideration

(I am not a lawyer, but I crush a lot. This is not legal advice, it is opinion based on my readings and a video I watched “11 Ways a Contract Can Be Voided” or something like that)

In order for a contract to be enforceable, it must reach consideration for both parties. No misrepresentation. A contract for the transfer of a $100,000 house for $100 is not fair, and does not meet consideration.

So why do apps get to read through my text messages, scan and identify my camera contents (using facial object recognition, images can be labeled, ex. “dog with ball”, “Your Name, nude”, record my voice and track my every location?

To improve services? To profit in a clear and understandable manner?

Even worse, why can Facebook and other apps use my device when I’m not using their services? They use my wireless data, personal communications and creations, and battery power (electricity, charging time, phone and battery life, time in between charges). Facebook slows my browser, collecting data.

All of this without compensation, or, without consideration.

Have you noticed the flood of user agreement changes with Google, Microsoft, Twitter, YouTube?

I started reading the Microsoft Terms of Service (TOS) last night, and found some crazy clauses. It’s long, and I may never finish even one terms of service. I have bills to pay; can’t really change my operating system I’ve been using for 20 years at the moment.

Personal Note: Look at #23 – In the Miscellaneous section, we’ve clarified that the Reservation of Rights and Feedback section survives termination or cancellation of the Terms.

Does that mean forever? Am I making a deal with Rumpelstiltskin?

Regardless of whether whether Facebook says “We are using your data and actions on Facebook and across the internet and with your phone to train Artificial Intelligence by creating an Avatar. We reserve the right to use your Avatar indefinitely , even if you terminate services with us.”, are we being compensated for that?

I don’t believe so.

I just wanted to get you thinking about this. Please share …. on Facebook and in real life.

Everyone on Social Media is Sad
Social Media Networks are notorious for manipulating our emotions.
The Corporatization of the Internet and End of Social Media
Early writing about the time Social Media Stopped Being as Cool

Check back, I’ll elaborate more on the subject. Here’s what I’ve written about Artificial Intelligence in long form – Pricing Pollution, Robots, AI