YOU MAY BE MANIPULATED BY THE ALGORITHM RESEARCH
09-12.2022
Project realised as a part of the cycle “Counter-visualities of Displacement. Recording violence through fiction”. Interactive installation depicting the scope of manipulations happening behind the closed doors of social media algorithms.
SEE DESIGN
BRIEF
We all encounter algorithms every day. By the simplest definition, an algorithm is a process or set of rules to be followed. Some of them are simple to understand, like how to use a microwave, and some are more complex. The problem that arises when interacting with complex algorithms is that we do not understand entirely how they work, which puts us in a position where we can be affected in ways we do not realize.
There are two main types of complex algorithms, automated processes and algorithms which react to the user’s action. Social media algorithms, which are an example of the latter, work by identifying your interests through the posts you interact with and sending you more content related to that topic. As you continue to interact predictably, the algorithm will give you the illusion that it is getting to know you better and better. This personalized experience appeals to our egocentrism in order to capitalize on it. As a result of how a given algorithm is designed, different kinds of manipulation can occur, such as strategic advertising, shadowbanning or the creation of filter bubbles.
This project’s goal is to give insight around the way in which social media algorithms manipulate users. How is our free will conditioned by these algorithms in digital space? How can we encourage our audience to be mindful of their social media usage?
FORMAT
We use the medium of an installation, featuring a digital and physical component. The digital part is a quiz in the form of a face filter, where users can follow different paths leading them to a social media user persona. They were encouraged to follow different fictional paths, not necessarily the one which is true for them. Next to it, there was a script visualizing all of the different possible paths. The users were free to use the filer, map, or both simuntanuesly. Quiz format is a gamified, simple and understandable type of algorithm, offering the user an insight into themselves trigger curiosity through the user’s ego.
LEXICON
Algorithm:
A process or a set of rules to be followed. Common examples include: the recipe for baking a cake, the method we use to solve a long division problem, the process of doing laundry, and the functionality of a search engine are all examples of an algorithm. Some algorithms are unseen, invisible. This is where it becomes manipulative and dangerous. Social media algorithms are a way of sorting posts in a users’ feed based on relevancy instead of publish time.
Shadowbanning:
Block (a user) from a social media site or online forum without their knowledge, typically by making their posts and comments no longer visible to other users. The reasoning behind it is not public knowledge, and many platforms deny the practice, or state that it’s use is limited to spam accounts and bots.. There are speculations about the triggers that might bring shadow ban, such as using certain words or images depicting violence, anything lawful-but-awful. It is successful with cutting the reach of content, might also completely cut access to the profile (for example by not autofilling the account name). One of the ways to avoid the shadow ban while keeping the content is misspelling, replacing images that do not match description, or using light hashtags.
Decision tree:
A decision tree is a decision support tool that uses a tree-like model of decisions and their possible consequences, including chance event outcomes, resource costs, and utility. It is one way to display an algorithm that only contains conditional control statements.
Echo chamber:
An echochamber is an environment where a person only encounters information or opinions that reflect and reinforce their own, this can have a spiraling effect.
A process or a set of rules to be followed. Common examples include: the recipe for baking a cake, the method we use to solve a long division problem, the process of doing laundry, and the functionality of a search engine are all examples of an algorithm. Some algorithms are unseen, invisible. This is where it becomes manipulative and dangerous. Social media algorithms are a way of sorting posts in a users’ feed based on relevancy instead of publish time.
Shadowbanning:
Block (a user) from a social media site or online forum without their knowledge, typically by making their posts and comments no longer visible to other users. The reasoning behind it is not public knowledge, and many platforms deny the practice, or state that it’s use is limited to spam accounts and bots.. There are speculations about the triggers that might bring shadow ban, such as using certain words or images depicting violence, anything lawful-but-awful. It is successful with cutting the reach of content, might also completely cut access to the profile (for example by not autofilling the account name). One of the ways to avoid the shadow ban while keeping the content is misspelling, replacing images that do not match description, or using light hashtags.
Decision tree:
A decision tree is a decision support tool that uses a tree-like model of decisions and their possible consequences, including chance event outcomes, resource costs, and utility. It is one way to display an algorithm that only contains conditional control statements.
Echo chamber:
An echochamber is an environment where a person only encounters information or opinions that reflect and reinforce their own, this can have a spiraling effect.
Filter bubble:
Filter bubble or ideological frame when a website algorithm selectively guesses what information a user would like to see based on information about the user, such as location, past click-behavior, and search history.
Manipulation:
Any attempt to sway someone's emotions to get them to act or feel a certain way. Manipulators have common tricks they'll use to make you feel irrational and more likely to give in to their requests.
Game:
An activity that one engages in for amusement or fun.
Gamification:
The application of typical elements of game playing (e.g. point scoring, competition with others, rules of play) to other areas of activity, typically as an online marketing technique to encourage engagement with a product or service. It brings the dopamine rush to the consumer, which makes the interaction more rewarding. ‘The strategic attempt to enhance systems, services, organizations, and activities by creating similar experiences to those experienced when playing games in order to motivate and engage users. This is generally accomplished through the application of game-design elements and game principles (dynamics and mechanics) in non-game contexts.
Interactive:
A two way flow of information between two people or things, often computers.
CONVERSATIONS
How do trend cycles affect our consumption?
The trend cycle has seen an ever increasing speed of turnover. In the past, trends used to be defined by decades, like the bell bottoms in the 70s, now they are staying relevant for only weeks or months. Today, Zara takes only two weeks to design, produce and deliver a garnement to stores. To keep up with this, consumers are buying more than ever and in order to afford this purchasing more from fast fashion. This is disaster out for the planet as 85% of textile produced goes to waste every year.
What makes a product go viral? Is it random or is it rigged by the industry?
Today Tiktok is the most downloaded and used social media platform, with a high influence on how users spend their money. The app has caused products to sell out in stores. Skincare brand Cerave had a 65% increase in sales over a month due to one of their products going viral. Going viral may seem random or be attributed to luck but these brands spend huge amounts of money to make their products viral, employing tactics like rebranding for a younger audience or celebrity endorsements.
Do our algorithms accurately reflect us?
Studies have shown that algorithms make a lot of our decisions for us, when it comes to watching Netflix, the algorithm makes 80% of the decisions for us. In this example we are conscious that we are being directed by the algorithm however that is not always the case. They are becoming embedded into all parts of society.
Is propaganda in advertising influenced by propaganda in politics?
Propaganda can be defined as political mass persuasion. Advertising is commercial mass persuasion, but the approaches and techniques are certainly overlapping and advertisers have often moved into politics. In our digitally mediated world, propaganda is a pathway to instantaneous participation in political conflicts from the safety and comfort of your living room chair.
To what extent is propaganda aimed at different population groups and relations between people?
Propaganda is no longer just a tool for changing your opinion. It is also a tool for instantaneously breaking connections between friends and relatives whose opinions differ. Participatory propaganda helps to socialize conflicts and make them part of everyday life. This increasing scope of engagement can also lead to internalization of conflict, which means that instead of encouraging you to filter alternative sources of information, participatory propaganda aims to reshape your cognitive filters as well as the relationship between you and your environment. Will communication by the population be seen as propaganda?
What are the ethics of subliminal advertising?
There are no laws regulating the use of subliminal messages, but court is usually acting in favor of the harmed, working on the basis of alleged intentional or negligent harm. The Federal Trade Commission requires that advertisers be truthful in their advertisements, and marketers that violate truth-in-advertising laws by using false subliminal messages can be fined. However, customers are barely ever conscious of the source of the influence, therefore it’s difficult to tace it back.
How did the strategies change over time - because poeple became more conscious or regulations have been introduced?
In times of Edward Bernays, there were a lot of limitations for both companies and customers. Medium of newspaper, tv or radio broadcast were not as effectively affecting every step of life as the ‘digital storytelling’ does now. From the other side, customers now have more time, that is opportunities to analyse the input and decide themselves which type matches their preferences - that is algorithm. If the PR stays in constant contanct with audience, is up-to-date with current trends, they can convey their statements through influencers etc.
If in countries political propaganda is prohibited, why is there a consent for influencing the public by advertisement (the difference between political propaganda/PR in ethical view)
What is the propaganda effect?
Propaganda is information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view. The propaganda effect is when a subject is more likely to rate statements they have read or heard before as being true, simply because they have been exposed to them before
Why do advertisers use propaganda?
Through advertising, propaganda influences you emotionally to buy certain products, services and ideas. Advertisers use your latent desires to be rich, better looking or more popular to "direct" your purchasing habits. Propaganda is used by advertisers to influence consumer spending by presenting what is "desirable." Advertising and propaganda are both powerful media tools that are often hard to differentiate. The massive amount of consumer data available today challenges traditional advertising to take their tactics to the next level, according to Rebus. Propaganda in advertising is similar to advertising in that it employs the same multimedia formats in order to spread its message. However, unlike advertising, propaganda does not try to encourage the sale of a product, service or idea. Similar to a sales campaign, propaganda is a visual presentation used to change public attitudes about a particular person or subject. Propaganda that influences systems of education has the most lasting effect
What kind of impact does thinking vs. feeling have on people?
These are ways of leaving an impact on the consumers, consciously or unconsciously.
What manipulative techniques are being used within advertising?
Deceitful advertising so overdramatizing or lying to convince people. Using fallacious arguments & emotive persuasion.
How deep does the effect go that advertisement has on people, on a psychological level?
Advertising often plays to consumers' emotions. Fear, love, pleasure, or vanity can be powerful drivers of consumer desires and responses. Each of these emotions can be manipulated and used in a different way to affect behavior: Fear is a very powerful emotion and can be a robust motivator. Emotional response to an advertisement, rather than the ad's actual content, produces a great influence on the intent of a consumer to buy a product.
DECISION TREE
Quiz question on the front - research on the back.
Participants were able to solve the quiz in the digital version, which contained only YES/NO questions, or investigate the research in the physical part.
