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Jenna Monhollen's Position Analysis 2: Data Collection - Coggle Diagram
Jenna Monhollen's Position Analysis 2: Data Collection
Sources
Classmate
Kanaan, Samuel. Identity Assignment "How the internet spies on you"
Classmate
Black, Jess. Identity Assignment "Perceptions About Identity"
Classmate
Tang, Wenjie. Identity Assignment
Scholarly Article
Facca, Danica, et al. “Exploring the Ethical Issues in Research Using Digital Data Collection Strategies with Minors: A Scoping Review.”
PLoS ONE
, vol. 15, no. 8, 27 Aug. 2020. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0237875
Classmate
Helton, Derek. Identity Assignment
Scholarly Article
Park, Yong Jin, and Marko Skoric. “Personalized Ad in Your Google Glass? Wearable Technology, Hands-off Data Collection, and New Policy Imperative.”
Journal of Business Ethics
, vol. 142, no. 1, 12 July. 2015. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1007/s10551-015-2766-2
Classmate
Ruppert, Kevin. Identity Assignment
Side 2: Data collection through multiple means will not result in imperfect perception of an individual's identity because it is just a reflection of their buying habits and interests.
"...while passive data collection studies typically dealt with aggregated or de-identified data...recent research suggests de-identified datasets often contain sufficient personal information to potentially identify individuals” (Facca et. al., pg.9).
If your online search history and activity leads companies to be able to determine your personal identity, then you are most likely who you say you are online.
Ethical Analysis
Kantian Ethics states that an action is moral if it is the right thing to do, regardless of the potential negative consequences.
The data collection is ethical because it is not being used to create the imperfect perception of one's identity. If the goal of the collection was to warp the perception, then it would be unethical because it is the wrong thing to do and could also be viewed as lying, which is also unethical.
Act Utilitarianism states that an action is only right if it produces the best results possible.
If your identity is not being distorted because of data collection through multiple means, then the data collection is ethical. If your identity was the victim of imperfect perception, then the data collection would not be producing the best results possible. However, since it is not causing your identity any harm, this would fit the rules of act utilitarianism.
Rule Utilitarianism states the the moral action is the one that produces the maximum amount of happiness.
I believe that the data collection would be ethical under rule utilitarianism because the user is not unhappy about the perception of their identity if it shows who they really are. Additionally, their interests are being tailored to through this data collection, so they get suggestions online for the things that they are interested in, which would provide them with happiness.
"To some degree, the information you input on the internet identifies you as a person, such that you choose what information you wish to supply to certain websites, like your birthdate to your Facebook account. In this respect, these websites may capture your own interests." (Identity Assignment, Helton)
"This pressuring impulse of 360-degree data marketing is what the current and future business models of data-driven companies will aim for. In other words, intensifying market surveillance based on algorithms, as epitomized by Google and its big data, is an embodiment of institutional incentive behind the information-centric economy of personalization" (Park and Skoric, pg. 73).
Data driven companies try their best to appeal to you based on your interests. Both sides benefit from this personalized data collection because companies will continue to draw users in and users will be seeing things online that they like, want to share, and want to learn more about.
"In fact, this virtually 360-degree view of users has always been a gold mine for digital marketers from the very inception of the product development; it is considered one of the most rational strategies by which marketers infer the best product lines that appeal to particular individuals" (Park and Skoric, pg. 73).
Companies are using data collected from your internet searches, time spent on their websites, and location in order to appeal to your interests and personalize your experience on their websites. If you weren't personally interested in their products, you wouldn't be spending ample amounts of time browsing their pages.
"Furthermore, unlike traditional media business models that focus on geographic media buying markets at the aggregate level, the intense commercial transactions of personal data are more likely to center on individual-level profiling, enabling Google and its advertising networks to alter search results and to contextualize and select advertisements according to each user's personal preferences" (Park and Skoric, pg. 73).
When companies use collected data to personalize online experiences, users might wonder how companies know exactly what they are looking for or have been trying to find. I think this really goes to show that in real life you are the person that you are online because you wouldn't want companies to give suggestions or advertisements on products you are not interested in. To avoid this, you browse and search for the things you are personally interested in so that products similar to what you are interested in appear and give you more insight.
"I think online search and website traffic history determine my identity. My online identity matches my real identity. For example, I log into MyMiami everyday on Google. Google is able to figure out that I am a college student at Miami University by tracking my frequent websites." (Identity Assignment, Tang)
"When you browse a website or access content, a category of tracking systems...[is] used to track your behavior. With access to this information, your usage is tracked across multiple websites and apps, which is later used to make a personal data profile on you." (How the internet spies on you, Kanaan)
Personally, I feel that my online identity is pretty close to my real life identity. I look up things that I am interested in or want to know more about and I share information about my personal life online that I want to keep friends and family in the loop about. I don't feel as though my real life identity is distorted because of what I post or look up online. I wouldn't share or look something up that I wasn't actually interested in or wasn't truthful.
Side 1: Data collection through multiple means can result in imperfect perception of an individual's identity.
"People's search history should not be used to determine their identities. When they are, it can have negative consequences: person of interest, terrorist watch list, gambling addiction" (Identity Assignment, Ruppert).
"The different perceptions about identity create issues in how a person makes their presence known...The way that people choose to understand someone else's identity either through social media, communication, or privately stored information creates an imbalance of power..." (Perceptions About Identity, Black)