Social Media: Whether one should be the observer or the observed?

In the era of social media, both organizations and audiences actively adopt one of the following roles: either as the watcher (and not just in a voyeuristic sense), gathering information about their platform's audience for their benefit, or as the watched, as consumers/organizations willing to view.

In a world characterized by surveillance capitalism, puppy videos, artificial intelligence, Instagram, and social comparison, the function of social media remains a fascinating topic of discussion. Similar to how we might view a video of a cute puppy on TikTok, advertisers can now track their target audience on social media to provide them with more relevant information. This blog discusses the organizations that participate, revealing some (but not all) of the identities of those responsible, from the largest tech firms to government agencies.

The parent company of TikTok, ByteDance's Global Criticism:

ByteDance, the Chinese technology company that owns TikTok and is responsible for social media monitoring, is infamous for surveillance and data collection (Kundalini). In order to personalize the content displayed to ByteDance users, the service collects a variety of data points, such as their preferences, device types, and platform-related activities (Peterson-Salahuddin). Why? The purpose is to sustain user engagement and content consumption (Peterson-Salahuddin). ByteDance has been accused of using TikTok for journalist surveillance (Kundaliya) in 2022. Meanwhile, ByteDance agreed to pay $92 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging it unlawfully collected data from some teen TikTok users in the United States the prior year (Uberti). These controversies surrounding TikTok's data collection practices raise concerns about user privacy and the potential misuse of personal information. The settlement highlights the importance of transparent and ethical data handling practices, especially for platforms with a large user base, like TikTok. 

Governmental Organizations: The FBI, Canadian RCMP

There has been an uptick in government interest worldwide in monitoring their citizens' social media use in recent years (Harris). For national security, anti-terrorism, and law enforcement reasons, organizations such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation keep tabs on what citizens do online (Harris). 

Threat assessment, pattern recognition, and criminal investigation are just reasons platform usage might be analyzed, as in a case by the FBI (McCray).

In Canada, they also "police social media" (Trottier). This increased interest in monitoring citizens' social media use is not limited to the United States. Many countries, including Canada, have also recognized the importance of monitoring online activities for various reasons, such as national security and crime prevention (Trottier). As technology advances, governments worldwide increasingly rely on social media monitoring as a valuable tool in maintaining public safety and protecting their citizens. 

Public Interest Groups and Nonprofits

In addition, organizations such as nonprofits and government agencies maintain an active social media monitoring presence (Campbell et al.). Research (Campbell et al. ) shows that Facebook remains a nonprofit organization's most popular social media platform. Campbell et al. found that nonprofit providers and funders were significantly more likely to use social media than county departments (Campbell et al.). Critical reasons for utilizing social media included marketing organizational activities, staying relevant to key constituencies, and increasing community awareness (Campbell et al., 2014). In addition, the study by Campbell et al. also revealed that nonprofit organizations found social media to be an effective tool for engaging with their target audience and promoting their mission. Furthermore, the research highlighted that social media allowed nonprofits to reach a wider audience and attract potential donors or volunteers. 

Nonprofits may study social media patterns using social media listening for keywords to determine how to address social issues (Reinikainen, Hanna, et al). If these organizations better understand the general public's values, they can improve their campaigns and initiatives ( Reinikainen, Hanna, et al.). By analyzing social media patterns and identifying keywords, nonprofits can gain valuable insights into the concerns and interests of the general public. This knowledge can then be used to tailor their campaigns and initiatives, ensuring they resonate with their target audience and have a more significant impact on addressing social issues. 

Advertisers:

In the digital age, public surveillance has remained marketed as a public benefit (Turow; Fuchs). Marketers eagerly consume user preferences, dislikes, and goals better to inform data-driven social media decisions (Turow). They send ads tailored to users using sophisticated profiling and algorithmic analysis (Turow). This targeted advertising approach remains met with mixed reactions from the general public. While some users appreciate receiving personalized ads that align with their interests, others feel that their privacy is being invaded and their data is being exploited for profit (Turow; Fuchs). Advertisers must balance utilizing user data for effective marketing strategies and respecting individuals' privacy concerns to maintain public trust in their campaigns and initiatives. 

Conclusion:

As a result of social media's rise, organizations and their viewers now play new, more nuanced roles in the information ecosystem. Tech companies and governments alike are increasingly utilizing social media to collect and analyze user data for a wide range of objectives. In contemporary surveillance capitalism, all parties must consider the morality of social media monitoring. Social media platforms must combine data-driven insights and user privacy to create a more responsible and sustainable digital world. Overall, technology has made living comfortably with social media, in the wake of growing concerns of privacy, and public interest even harder.

Works Cited:

Campbell, David A., et al. “Looking for Friends, Fans, and Followers? Social Media Use in Public and Nonprofit Human Services.” Public Administration Review, vol. 74, no. 5, 2014, pp. 655–63, https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.12261.

Fuchs, Christoph, and Daniel Trottier. “Internet Surveillance after Snowden: A Critical Empirical Study of Computer Experts’ Attitudes on Commercial and State Surveillance of the Internet and Social Media Post-Edward Snowden.” Journal of Information, Communication & Ethics in Society (Online), vol. 15, no. 4, 2017, pp. 412–44, https://doi.org/10.1108/JICES-01-2016-0004.

Harris, Erin. BRIEF: The FBI Is Looking to Step up Its Social Media Spying Game. Tribune Content Agency LLC, 2012.

Kundaliya, Dev. “Computing - Incisive Media: TikTok Employees Accessed Western Journalists’ Data, ByteDance Admits.” Computing, 2022.

McCray, Vanessa. FBI Investigating Social-Media Threat to Unspecified Atlanta School. Tribune Content Agency LLC, 2019.

Mohamed, Happy. “TikTok Parent ByteDance Allowed Chinese Communist Party ‘Supreme Access’ To U.S. Data” - NY Post. Accretive Capital LLC d/b/a Benzinga, 2023.

Peterson-Salahuddin, Chelsea. “‘Pose’: Examining Moments of ‘digital’ Dark Sousveillance on TikTok.” New Media & Society, 2022, p. 146144482210804–, https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448221080480

Reinikainen, Hanna, et al. “Generation Z and Organizational Listening on Social Media.” Media and Communication (Lisboa), vol. 8, no. 2S1, 2020, pp. 185–96, https://doi.org/10.17645/mac.v8i2.2772.

Trottier, Daniel. “Policing Social Media.” The Canadian Review of Sociology, vol. 49, no. 4, 2012, pp. 411–25, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1755-618X.2012.01302.x.

Turow, Joseph. “Audience Construction and Culture Production: Marketing Surveillance in the Digital Age.” The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, vol. 597, no. 1, 2005, pp. 103–21, https://doi.org/10.1177/0002716204270469.

Uberti, David. “ByteDance Agrees to $92 Million Privacy Settlement With U.S. TikTok Teens; Class-Action Lawsuit in Illinois Stemmed from 21 Separate Complaints Last Year.” WSJ Pro. Cyber Security, 2021.