Apps and Ethics (Zoe Manalo, Post #5)

Apps and Ethics 

Zoe Manalo, Post #5

    Lately, I've been thinking about the privacy side of social media. It seems like apps like Instagram and TikTok seem to "listen" to what we say or search.  While I understand social media is catered to our liking sometimes it gets a little eerie. A few weeks ago I was talking to a friend mentioning wanting to buy a new pair of shoes. I haven't searched anything or typed anything related to shoes or shopping on my phone. Some time passed and I went to doom scroll on Instagram and all of a sudden I'm getting multiple ads for new shoes. Ads from DSW, New Balance, Steve Madden, etc. I even went to YouTube and started getting ads. This really made me questions how much of my data is being tracked and are they really listening to me. This raises an ethical and privacy concern about data collection and surveillance. While social media companies say they don't listen through our microphones, the specific targeted ads makes it feel like they do. I do know most platforms are using location tracking and cookies, but it shows how little control users have over their digital footprint. 

The ethical issue is the transparency and informed consent. Most users don't fully understand what they've agreed to when they click accept all. Social media apps rely on complex terms of service that people don't read. A solution to this could be users checking privacy settings, turning off their microphone or location access, and regularly checking  app permissions. Social media can still be fun and useful, but it shouldn't feel like we're being watched. Ethics in social media start with transparency and giving users choices on their data.