In search of a social site that doesn't lie

  • 2 August 2014
  • 2 replies
  • 1487 views

Userlevel 7
Comment: I think its about time we have some competition with Facebook, this is a intereting article.
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By Mike ElganAugust 2, 2014 07:00 AM ET Computerworld - In a post on his company's blog this week, OKCupid co-founder Christian Rudder openly boasted, "We experiment on human beings!"
Rudder's post described a few of the experiments that the dating website had carried out. In one, OKCupid told people that they would be good matches with certain other people even though the site's algorithms had determined that they would be bad matches. That's right: The company deliberately lied to its users. OKCupid wanted to see if people liked each other because they have the capacity to make up their own minds about who they like, or if they like each other because OKCupid tells them they should like each other.
 
Don't like this kind of manipulation? Here's Rudder's response: "Guess what, everybody: if you use the Internet, you're the subject of hundreds of experiments at any given time, on every site. That's how websites work."
 
ComputerWorld/ Full Article Here/ http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9250109/In_search_of_a_social_site_that_doesn_t_lie

2 replies

Userlevel 7
Badge +62
Hello Antus67,
Very interesting article ..I agree ...social media or Facebook, Twitter, we are all guinea pigs to say the least. So some people certainly aren't aware of being used in experiments just for reliable social connection to other people. To Linkin or Facebook we are vulnerable to say the least in so many ways.
 
Good article,
 
Thanks!;)
Userlevel 6
Everything you put out there is up for grabs and anyone can use it. I was under the impression that websites are supposed to include their use of your information in the terms of use. Perhaps they do in the fine print. How many people actually read every word of it? And do these websites take advantage of knowing so many dont? Regardless, the intent to use people as if they are lab rats does not sit well with me.

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