Making Sense with Sam Harris #78 — Persuasion and Control
May 26, 2017
Expert Zeynep Tufekci discusses surveillance capitalism, AI marketing, press health. They cover topics like ransomware attacks, fake news, impact of internet on reality, social media manipulation, ethical concerns in persuasion tactics, historical ties between media and propaganda, influence of AI in advertising.
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Zeynep's Background
- Zeynep Tufekci grew up in Turkey during a time of censorship and a military coup.
- She worked as a computer programmer, which gave her early access to the internet and its potential for social change.
Surveillance Capitalism
- Internet platforms' business models rely on capturing attention and persuading users, primarily for advertising.
- This involves extensive data collection and analysis, including inferring undisclosed information about individuals.
Authoritarianism and Tech
- This data-driven persuasion infrastructure is a tool ripe for authoritarian misuse, enabling surveillance and manipulation.
- Silicon Valley, while often liberal, may be inadvertently building tools that empower authoritarian regimes.