Theory of Knowledge - Course Companion for Students Marija Uzunova Dang Arvin Singh Uzunov Dang

why claims of political influence
Understanding
exaggerated can reveal truths about how we
are
political processes. Let’s consider
comprehend
the media and public opinion may have
why
the efficacy of political microtargeting
overstated
particular, and big data in general. Perhaps the
in
at invasions of privacy combined with
outrage
stoked by Cambridge Analytica’s claims
fears
fertile ground for sensationalizing
provided
company’s impact. Others, including
the
technology experts, appear to have been
some
impressed.
genuinely
Heidi Tworek wrote an article on
Historian
following topic: “Did ‘sinister’ emotional
the
by the data analytics company,
manipulation
Analytica, decide the U.S. election?
Cambridge
terms: Tworek
Search
Analytica Trump
Cambridge
the link to read the arguments Tworek
Follow
then answer the following questions.
proposes,
is often said that technology disrupts
It
businesses and markets for
industries,
consumer’s benefit. In what ways is
the
disruption in politics similar and
technological
may be that we have an instinctive
It
towards new media technology,
apprehension
we have seen throughout modern history,
as
example with the invention of the printing
for
and later in the 19th century with mass
press
distribution.
newspaper
being a data scientist, statistician or
Without
network expert, to what extent can one
social
the impact of behavioural microtargeting?
judge
history can provide some guides on
Perhaps
What arguments does Tworek make about
1.
exaggeration of political microtargeting
the
general, and of Cambridge Analytica in
in
particular?
To what extent is psychometric
2.
different from previous
manipulation
and crowd-influencing
crowd-reflecting
technologies?
What criteria could we use to discern
3.
psychometric manipulation and
whether
microtargeting have influenced
political
outcomes in recent years?
political
it more or less vulnerable to negative
makes
as compared to other domains?
disruptions
finally, what will it take to guard against
And
disruptions?
negative
IV. Ethics
IV. Ethics
whether this time is different.
For discussion
Fears of mass media
History suggests otherwise.” (Tworek 2018)
and the new old fear
different? Is there something about politics that
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