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Internal Facebook Note: Here Is A “Psychological Trick” To Target Teens

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Re: Internal Facebook Note: Here Is A “Psychological Trick” To Target Teens

#31
> TBH noticed that teens often list their high school in their Instagram bio. So, using a private Instagram account of its own, the company would visit a school’s location page and follow all accounts that included the school’s name.

The idea of a company targeting and following individual high school students on instagram does feel a bit "off" to me. If facebook or any other billion dollar public company were doing this, a bit of public uproar would not be out of line, even if it is perfectly legal.

But it sounds like TBH stopped doing this after they were acquired by FB, claiming that the methods were too “scrappy” for a big company. While facebook is of course now ultimately responsible for any actions that TBH took in the past, trying to make a big stink about it after they have already stopped (and using misleading headlines to boot) feels a bit disingenuous.

EDIT: I initially missed the fact that TBH was essentially pretending to be affiliated with the school of the kids they were targeting, by creating a new account per school and saying things like "You’ve been invited to the new app—stay tuned!" (A fairly dumb oversight on my part as that's essentially the whole point of the story). This is indeed hugely deceitful and having re-read the article it changes my opinion entirely. Facebook should be banning companies that pull stunts like this instead of buying them out for millions. I would like to see Facebook issue a statement clarifying their position on these kinds of marketing ploys, update terms of use if necessary to prevent them, and also probably issue an apology.

Re: Internal Facebook Note: Here Is A “Psychological Trick” To Target Teens

#32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you want to criticize the entire field of neuromarketing, fine - it's an interesting discussion to have. But I agree with parent commenter in that let's not pretend Facebook is doing anything unique and/or the only ones doing this type of stuff.

What's the case for "billion-dollar companies using neuroscience to manipulate the behavior of individuals is a moral and societal good"? Neuromarketing seems pretty straightforwardly evil to me...

Prescription drug ads do far more social harm.

"This shit will fuck you up six ways from Sunday but we make a ton of money off of it so ask your doctor..."

Re: Internal Facebook Note: Here Is A “Psychological Trick” To Target Teens

#33

The trick itself isn't very shitty, but some of the mentality is: "Our team obsessed with finding ways to get individual high schools to adopt a product simultaneously." Seriously? getting a bunch of kids to adopt a product is what you want to obsess about? How about helping companies make a product that's not shit so you don't have to trick kids into using it.

Getting large groups of people to join a new social app is very tricky.

Take a dating app/site for example. You join - there's 2 people on the platform and they are no where near your location. People leave and the product fails.

Start a social media app/site that doesn't have the backing of a large company and large media/news advertising - you join, no one is there. People leave and the product fails.

Start an app like instagram where you can upload all your photos. The bulk joining doesn't matter as much, as the social aspect is not the primary purpose and that can come later. Product can grow and the "social" aspect can develop over time.

Re: Internal Facebook Note: Here Is A “Psychological Trick” To Target Teens

#34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's the case for "billion-dollar companies using neuroscience to manipulate the behavior of individuals is a moral and societal good"? Neuromarketing seems pretty straightforwardly evil to me...

Prescription drug ads do far more social harm. "This shit will fuck you up six ways from Sunday but we make a ton of money off of it so ask your doctor..."

I've only seen such drugs ads in the US. Most other countries seem to realize that watching a 30 second ad is unlikely to make you more informed than a MD or PharmD.

Re: Internal Facebook Note: Here Is A “Psychological Trick” To Target Teens

#35

This seems fairly benign. What's giving it the coverage and negative feedback here is the fact that somebody call it a 'psychological trick'. Is an ice cream truck playing music and slowing rolling down your street on a hot summer day also a psychological trick we need to guard against? Accounting for human congregations and 'appealing to their curiosity' is a part of the human existence. Downloading junk is also a l…

So you are saying this article is more of a 'psychological trick' than the real content.

Re: Internal Facebook Note: Here Is A “Psychological Trick” To Target Teens

#36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you want to criticize the entire field of neuromarketing, fine - it's an interesting discussion to have. But I agree with parent commenter in that let's not pretend Facebook is doing anything unique and/or the only ones doing this type of stuff.

What's the case for "billion-dollar companies using neuroscience to manipulate the behavior of individuals is a moral and societal good"? Neuromarketing seems pretty straightforwardly evil to me...

Is it straightforwardly evil? What if the thing being marketed is good for you? Would a neuromarketing campaign designed to get people to exercise more or eat more vegetables be evil?

Re: Internal Facebook Note: Here Is A “Psychological Trick” To Target Teens

#37

> TBH noticed that teens often list their high school in their Instagram bio. So, using a private Instagram account of its own, the company would visit a school’s location page and follow all accounts that included the school’s name. The idea of a company targeting and following individual high school students on instagram does feel a bit "off" to me. If facebook or any other billion dollar public company were doing…

I don't think the motive is necessarily creating stink. I think it may also in part be because other startups might want to use this technique, and YC is an incubator...

Re: Internal Facebook Note: Here Is A “Psychological Trick” To Target Teens

#38

This seems fairly benign. What's giving it the coverage and negative feedback here is the fact that somebody call it a 'psychological trick'. Is an ice cream truck playing music and slowing rolling down your street on a hot summer day also a psychological trick we need to guard against? Accounting for human congregations and 'appealing to their curiosity' is a part of the human existence. Downloading junk is also a l…

> Downloading junk is also a life lesson, they will learn.

Mega-corporation - with deep pockets, professional advice, etc - stalks teenagers and does targeted personalized campaign, it is teenagers fault to fall for it... I see a "blame the victim" attitude here.

> Is an ice cream truck playing music and slowing rolling down your street on a hot summer day also a psychological trick we need to guard against?

The truck guy does not know my name, the school I go to or any other data beyond that I am in the neighborhood and can hear the sound or see the truck. The truck is fishing.

Facebook is collecting personalized data, creating profiles and targeting unsuspecting minors that feel "special" for being chosen without knowing the reasons.

> TBH described its methods as “too ‘scrappy’” for a big company.

So the same company that had the idea has the same concerns about it.

There is somethings that are not-so-bad (but bad) when done in an small scale, but become horrible at a bigger scale.

Re: Internal Facebook Note: Here Is A “Psychological Trick” To Target Teens

#39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's the case for "billion-dollar companies using neuroscience to manipulate the behavior of individuals is a moral and societal good"? Neuromarketing seems pretty straightforwardly evil to me...

Is it straightforwardly evil? What if the thing being marketed is good for you? Would a neuromarketing campaign designed to get people to exercise more or eat more vegetables be evil?

Dictators also do some good things to their countries, yet dictatorships are evil. The point is evil nature, not the occasional good side effect.

Re: Internal Facebook Note: Here Is A “Psychological Trick” To Target Teens

#40

> TBH noticed that teens often list their high school in their Instagram bio. So, using a private Instagram account of its own, the company would visit a school’s location page and follow all accounts that included the school’s name. The idea of a company targeting and following individual high school students on instagram does feel a bit "off" to me. If facebook or any other billion dollar public company were doing…

Isn't that how Facebook got started: by creating networks based around schools? I don't see the big deal, especially if the school isn't developing new communication tools for students.
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