Using Social Media to Gather Big Data
A look into Facebook mining
Organizations, small and large have been using social media
now more than ever. Not only can companies connect with their current and
future customers, they can also gain valuable information through social media
websites. Sites like Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter are now giving companies
new information on their interests and behaviors.
There are services that help companies access and interpret the big data. Facebook is currently the biggest social media that big data is extracted from.
"We send 10 billion Facebook messages per day, click the ‘like’ button 4.5 billion times and upload 350 million new pictures each and every day. Overall, there are 17 billion location-tagged posts and a staggering 250 billion photos on Facebook."
Analyst will be able to use this data for years to come, but considering the amount of information we put into Facebook per day, analyst will always have fresh data to use. For example, a company might want to know all of the people within a 30 mile radius who are between the ages of 40 and 50 who have been to upscale restaurants in the past month. A company can then use this information to send those Facebook users a coupon or pop up advertisement about their new restaurant opening this month. The more information that organizations can collect about customer preferences and behaviors, the better they can personalize and customize their businesses to suit their clients.
"Facebook goes beyond simply analyzing and 'mining' the user profile data. USA Today revealed how Facebook tracks users across the Web. Using 'tracking cookies' Facebook can collect information about each website you are visiting. This means when you are logged into Facebook and then browse the web (completely separately from your Facebook activities) Facebook knows what sites you are visiting."
Being able to use all of the data that Facebook as well as other social media's intake plays a huge role in companies decisions and how they approach customers online. As of now, all data being used is legal and easily available, but users are starting to question what analyst are using and how they are getting this information. Users are worried that the information about their "likes," pictures, and comments will be used against them and be sent out to unwanted individuals or be able to be hacked easier after the big data tracks their every move.
How do you feel about big data and social media? Even though you do have security preferences on Facebook and other social medias, how safe do you feel knowing that analyst can see what websites you visit even when you're not on the actual social media site that they're using to get your information. This also brings up security and privacy issues that are covered in our recent blog posts. Will Facebook have to eventually make restrictions or will laws be enforced against certain information being used? Lastly, do you think companies will actually benefit from using this big data? As a consumer, are you really more likely to use a product or service simply because they email you or flash a banner advertisement while you are on Facebook?
-Morgan Dunlap
-Morgan Dunlap
I think it is extremely creepy to know that by simply logging into a social networking cite your every move can be tracked. Although it is for the benefit of companies marketing purposes it is basically stalking. Could they not ask for consent first? I do believe companies have a major chance of benefiting from using big data but personally I usually am not quick to get excited about using a coupon I see pop up. It is very easy to be tricked by the Internet. My first question when seeing it would be how do I know this is really real?
ReplyDeleteI believe that the allowance for social media platforms and other forms to analye our data in order to assist other organizations is appropriate for this day an age. We see now a days that a large part of consumption and business is done via e-commerce. With that being said it is of great importance for companies to reach future and past customers in order for them to stay ahead of their competitors. With social media and other platforms of that nautre being of such great importance for consumers why not assist businesses with information that could help. My only suggestioin would be that the users should be able to check a yes or no answer to allow this option to be completed once they have created thier page or become members to these various platforms. Most of the users of the internet are more adaptable to change and with this caseI feel users will have to deal with organizations commiting these actions and accept them. I must also add that I would much rather organizations be pulling and analyzing than the government looking even more so over our shoulders!! Also, in the blog you had stated that this would possibly lead to businesses possibly sending out coupons to the users of interest towards their organization, and I don't know about you guys but I am all for saving a buck or two!
ReplyDeleteByron Marsh
When the blog asks the question, "how safe do you feel knowing that analyst can see what websites you visit even when you're not on the actual social media site that they're using to get your information," I think this is an important question and pertains to my particular security interests. If I sign up for a Facebook account, I am explicitly giving Facebook the consent to mine and analyze my data. This is an agreement that is in the contract and I know what I am up against. Anything Facebook does with that information should be null at that point so long as they don't allow a separate entity to come into play. When my personal information is being passed from company to company without my consent, then we have to be talking about a law being broken. I did not give the third party company the permission to use my information, I gave Facebook the permission.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I really see a downward trend of security for individual persons in this nation. Instead, the measures of security and privacy are upwardly trending for corporations and governments. It should be the opposite as free individuals should be as private as they would like to be and corporations and governments (the ones doing the exploiting) should be completely transparent and held responsible for their usage of personal information and big data.
I had to research on this matter about Facebook in my English class last semester and I still can't forget what I read. It was about how everyone can get information about you by simply type your name on google and things you have posted such as pictures will just pop up and it was scary how a lot of big companies use these data and information when hiring people for the jobs they are offering. This one soon to be a teacher for elementary school got kicked out from her college where she was supposed to get a degree in few weeks and her ticket to this elementary school also got cancelled just because of this one picture she was tagged on by her friend during halloween party. She was having a costume on her and people with the power thought she was not a right material to become a teacher to teach young innocent kids. She was actually a really smart lady with good standing GPA in college with not even a one speeding ticket. Because of one picture on facebook, her life was ruined and this story is powerful enough to let you rethink about using social sites.
ReplyDeletesocial media is great only if we use it properly. however, i see that there is some issues with personal information and that just putting my name on google you could find my name on different websites or other social medias such as twitter, facebook etc. hopefully we find a solution for this kind of situation. thank you
ReplyDeleteI do not have a problem with social media collecting data for marketing purposes, nor do I have an issue with the occasional pop up ads of things that I have been looking at recently. Where I draw the line is when things like my email get completely overrun with spam / advertisements to things just because I was researching something. I find it extremely annoying to have to weed through them to find that 1 email that I need. Rant completed.
ReplyDeleteJerry Truckenmiller