If something is free, then you are the product. I read this maxim in 2013 in the unauthorised biography ofJulian Assange. It was such a powerful statement I kept going back to it. It became a talisman on making any important decision in life. It led me to think what is in it for the other party to gain. Transactions and negotiations became even more interesting. But what I failed to notice is that we are prisoners of our habits.
You must have come such situations. You are having a conversation with a group of people and in order to prove your point of view, you turn to Google (or any other search engine). You take pride in being right and Google is the holy grail of validation. There is always that odd fact that people won’t acknowledge unless Google says so. During dinner conversations with friends, you vaguely remember that the husband of Hillary Clinton could have been the first First Gentleman of the White House, but you tend to forget to pay the Bill. What do you do? You turn to google for help!
As we age, we tend to forget. For example, I don’t exactly remember my best friend Sangeet’s birth date. Is it March 30th or 31st? But what I do remember is that Sharon’s friend Janani’s birthday also falls on one of those two dates. So, what I do around the last week of March is to google Janani Iyer and go to her Wikipedia page to know her birth date. The other date is Sangeet’s and I wish him and Janani without fail. So much to remember birthdays!
Imagine how difficult it is remembering facts that do not matter, but you need them in an instant. So, we make the transaction with Google by giving a plethora of data on what device we are using, where we are, what we are searching for (which dictates our personality), our browser history (through cookies) and many more such things. Google makes you happy by giving you what you ask for, for free. In the background, Google profiles you and serves you advertisements across YouTube and other websites. Ever wondered why the flight search that you did on makemytrip appears on your Times of India homepage? Welcome to the world of cookies and Google Display Network. It’s an interconnected world and we are the products.
Want to
know how Google has profiled you? Please visit this Adsettings Authenticated page
What were the weird things that you saw in your Google profiling? Mine are
- Cookware & Tableware
- Dating & Personals
- Education Status: Bachelor’s Degree
- Gems & Jewellery
- Parental Status: Not a parent
- Rings
Somewhere, even we could try to fool Google!
On this positive note, let’s dive into this week’s mind!
A. Political
How China surveils the world,Mara Hvistendahl, MIT Technology Review
When I read 1984 by George Orwell, I always thought USA is where the Big Brother will be based out of. Their first mover advantage into technology made us believe that. May be America still is, without the common man knowing that they are the Big Brother. What a disguise that would be!
But, without any disguise or pretension, China is leading to become the Big Brother and no one dare stop them. This interview with Samantha Hoffman of the Australian Strategy Policy Institute brings to the light we are already a little too deep for comfort in the quagmire of a surveillance state. With profiling to the barest detail, every activity is monitored. Do we have a way out? I think we do. I am exploring for options and will share what else we can do here.
B. Technology
The lesson we’re learning from TikTok? It’s all about our data, Brian X. Chen, The New York Times
This is not just about TikTok. Every free (mostly) app does it and we marketers make a killer statement in our budget presentations saying, Digital is so cheap and effective for a new brand like us. We can pinpointedly target the right consumer and serve the right product just when she is looking for one! Digital advertising is cheap because we as consumers don’t value our data. We give it for free in exchange for search results and entertaining ourselves harmless 15 sec TikTok videos.
How can we undo the harm? I do not think we can undo anything. Whatever is up on the internet is going to be there forever. But Brian has some useful tips to help us out. Although not all of them are fool proof, yet the damaged can be minimised.
C. Marketing
Nothing interesting here!
D. Economics
Phew!
E. Sports
In the world of football, it has all been about the GOAT – Lionel Messi. After reports came out that he will be looking to move out of Barcelona, a lot of clubs are clamouring for his signature on the dotted line. It is going to be an interesting two weeks on how this pans out. In my opinion, Messi has attained God status at Barcelona. Him moving out will scar that image. For all the things that the club has given him, it is time that he gives back by being a part of the rebuild. But Messi can prove a lot of people wrong and choose to be a mortal like the rest of us.
Arsenal won the FA Community Shield Cup beating Liverpool on penalty shootout. Wembley Double for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta has got an interesting project going on.
In the world of cricket, IPL has been dealt with a scare. With a lot of people from CSK testing positive for COVID, will the authorities be able to control and contain the spread? Among players, CSK’s Deepak Chahar and Ruturaj Gaikwad have tested positive. Suresh Raina will not participate in the IPL after he returned home to attend to a family tragedy. Harbhajan Singh will fly in on Sep 1st and will be quarantined. He will miss a major amount of practice. It doesn’t augur well for CSK for sure. But, if this is the tip of the iceberg, will Dream11 realize its dream of being an IPL sponsor?
F. eCommerce
Nothing interesting here!
G. Behaviour
Why writingis harder than you think, Swanand Kelkar, mint
Swanand takes us through the mind of a writer. He shares his experience of how difficult it is put words together and make a meaning out of it. There are a few useful tips on how to become an effective writer as well. I agree with a lot of things struggles. But I am not as strong as him to take a sabbatical to write. That requires a lot of grit and perseverance. Nevertheless, it’s a breezy Sunday read.
H. Books & Cinema
I finished reading The Kill List by Frederick Forsyth. It’s a fast-paced spy thriller, but not Forsyth’s best work. The strength of the story depends on how strong the antagonist is. Since there wasn’t much of a reveal of the character, it was difficult to judge how the mouse was going to outwit the cat.
I started Range by David Epstein. It is one of those books that works on bringing some clarity to the thinking process. Will share more on it in the coming weeks.
Sharon and I have finished The Hunters. I was waiting for her reactions for the last episode. And she was like, I guessed one of them. The other one was indeed unexpected. Here I was expecting a bone chilling reaction, but she was all normal!
With that, we wrap up this week's musing.
Do share your list of interesting articles that you came across.
Do share your thoughts on what was good and what can be improved.
And that's word no. 1302!
1 comments:
'you vaguely remember that the husband of Hillary Clinton could have been the first First Gentleman of the White House, but you tend to forget to pay the Bill.'
In many cases forgetting to pay the bill might be intentional
Post a Comment