In the online world, an increasing amount of data is unexpected. It’s acute on social media, but also on news outlets and other content-heavy sites that place adverts. This means separate organisations are having a say in the type of information users see.
It’s part of our decision making that as we use digital devices we’re constantly opting in or out, depending on how we browse apps and websites, and making snap judgements on things we observe and spend time over.
Images of deception
An example is a distinction between a proliferation of doctored photos and images on social media, and their counterparts found in serious adverts on the same and other websites.
It’s now becoming common to see politicians juxtaposed against unrelated information, and at times it looks as though a face is only used because it’s well known.
Micro-aggressions
These attempts may be seen as “micro-aggressions”, a sort of play off popular people and controversies that only register because of virality. Yet the intent is more insidious than many people imagine.
As in other instances of criminal activity, it can result in real damage done to infrastructure and people’s genuine efforts. It’s not always clear, but it’s possible to see it first.
Permanent damage
The price to pay for enabling or tolerating it is the disruption of civil society. Those tricked into handing over cash, or allowing access to accounts, may have invited in more trouble than we know.
The people responsible are not pleasant, are disruptive, and can be harmful in other ways. If it persists, our way of life is changed by unpleasant and wrongful paradigms of thought.