Power of Propaganda with Analytics by Ashok Gairola
Referred Link - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/power-propaganda-analytics-ashok-gairola
Edward L. Bernays in 1928 wrote a book called PROPAGANDA, He wrote about the complex relationship between human psychology, democracy, and corporations. Bernays’ thesis is that “invisible” people who create knowledge and propaganda rule over the masses, with a monopoly on the power to shape thoughts, values, and citizen response. His “Engineering consent” of the masses would be vital for the survival of democracy.
Bernays explains: “The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. Bernays expands this argument to the economic realm, appreciating the positive impact of propaganda in the service of capitalism.
Facebook since its inception has worked towards manipulating users towards "More Sharing" by introducing LIKE button. Content creators, Publishers, Media houses from eternity know the power of propaganda and its influence on people for their benefits. This is the only reason you see an obvious nexus between politician and media companies (and rich of the richest owning media houses) because ultimately everyone wants to be in the power game.
In 2014 Facebook jointly conducted a study with Cornell University professors Adam D. I. Kramer, Jamie E. Guillory and Jeffrey T. Hancock. The study was named as "Experimental evidence of massive-scale emotional contagion through social networks". http://www.pnas.org/content/111/24/8788
The study proved beyond any doubt that "emotional states can be transferred to others via emotional contagion, leading people to experience the same emotions without their awareness. We provide experimental evidence that emotional contagion occurs without direct interaction between people (exposure to a friend expressing an emotion is sufficient), and in the complete absence of nonverbal cues.".
So the question is when propaganda as an implement is being utilized for ages by Regimes, Media Houses, Industrialists, Politicians why we should isolate Facebook and Cambridge Analytica for the same malefaction. The reasons are as below
a) They have become too powerful as you consume Facebook from morning to evening at conventional intervals.
b) It is more personalized and most of the info emanates from your circle and you have more faith in propaganda engendered by your friends.
c) The Analytical capability of the digital world making it more perilous than others
So legally you will not find anything erroneous with this but emotionally you will feel cheated, while you know all the while that your life shapes around such propaganda which influences and shapes you as an individual. This is the reason many thought bellwethers are verbally expressing effacing Facebook is the only solution as of now.
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