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What Big Tech Does With Your Data | Mojeek Blog
The blog post "What Big Tech Does With Your Data" on the Mojeek blog discusses how data from major technology companies is used beyond just advertising. It highlights the broader implications of data collection, including personalization, behavior manipulation, privacy concerns, and data breaches. The post aims to raise awareness among users about the less obvious and often detrimental uses of their data, encouraging them to reconsider their reliance on Big Tech services.
Key Points
Personalizes:
Big Tech uses data to create a familiar web experience by predicting user preferences.
This can limit exposure to diverse information and novelty.
Traps:
Personal data is used to keep users engaged on platforms for longer periods, often leading to addictive behaviors like "doomscrolling."
This maximizes ad revenue, even at the cost of user well-being.
Advertise:
Targeted ads are placed using sophisticated auction systems, but these ads often rely on inaccurate data and are perceived as creepy.
The process wastes computing resources and can lead to significant data accumulation, increasing the risk of leaks.
Complies:
Governments often leverage data collected by Big Tech for surveillance, bypassing the need for their large-scale data collection efforts.
This poses a conflict of interest with user privacy.
Improves:
Instead of improving user tools, Big Tech focuses on gathering more data to serve more ads.
This process, termed "enshittification," ultimately devalues the user experience and harms users and business customers.
Stores:
The longer data is stored, the higher the risk of being hacked.
High-profile breaches at companies like Yahoo!, Meta, and LinkedIn illustrate this risk.
Shares:
Data sharing between services owned by the same company increases the potential for data misuse and breaches.
Users are advised to manage permissions or avoid these tools altogether.
Influences:
Data is used in political campaigns and by influencers, making Big Tech companies incredibly powerful.
These companies often engage in extensive lobbying to maintain their influence.
Censors:
Big Tech censors content to align with their business interests, sometimes shadowbanning profiles that could disrupt their ad revenue stream.
This impacts artists, journalists, and the free flow of information.
Key Quotes
"When you accept those terms, you’re signing up for a lot more than just one company taking a peek at your data, serving you some ads, and then letting it lie."
"Related to this, your personal data; likes, dislikes, wants, and desires, are used to keep you wherever makes money for the company in question."
"So much government surveillance is just corporate surveillance handed over."
"Here is how platforms die: first, they are good to their users; then they abuse their users to make things better for their business customers; finally, they abuse those business customers to claw back all the value for themselves. Then, they die."
"One quite simple law of the web is that the longer a piece of data is stored, the closer the probability that it ends up being hacked and leaked gets to 1."
Why It Matters
Understanding how Big Tech uses personal data is crucial for several reasons:
Privacy Concerns: Users often underestimate how much their data is collected and used. This awareness is essential for making informed decisions about the services they use.
Behavioral Manipulation: Recognizing how data is used to manipulate user behavior can help individuals take steps to mitigate these effects and regain control over their digital lives.
Security Risks: The storage and sharing of data increase the risk of breaches, which can have severe consequences for individuals and society.
Political and Social Influence: Big Tech's power through data can influence political outcomes and societal norms, raising concerns about the concentration of power in a few companies.
Censorship and Free Speech: Understanding how content is censored can inform discussions about free speech and the role of these companies in public discourse.
By shedding light on these issues, the blog post encourages users to think critically about their digital footprint and consider alternatives that prioritize privacy, like Mojeek’s search engine.
David Dunning: Overcoming Overconfidence | OpenMind Magazine
In an interview for OpenMind Magazine, David Dunning, co-discoverer of the Dunning-Kruger effect, discusses the pervasive cognitive bias that leads people to overestimate their knowledge in areas lacking expertise. Dunning explains how this effect is not about general stupidity but about the universal human condition of being unaware of our knowledge gaps. He emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and the challenge of overcoming overconfidence.
The interview covers various aspects of the Dunning-Kruger effect, its implications for self-knowledge, trust, decision-making, and the impact of motivated reasoning. Dunning also addresses critiques of his original research and explores the role of social norms in maintaining trust and gullibility, which are essential for civilization.
Key Points
Dunning-Kruger Effect:
People with limited expertise overestimate their knowledge.
This effect is universal and affects everyone in various domains.
It is about not knowing what we don't know rather than stupidity.
Public Perception:
The Dunning-Kruger effect has become a popular meme, often misused as an insult.
Dunning wishes it were used more for self-reflection rather than judging others.
Self-Reflection and Expertise:
Being aware of the Dunning-Kruger effect doesn't necessarily help avoid it.
Experts can still have blind spots in areas outside their expertise.
Continuous self-improvement and humility are important.
Critiques and Scientific Discourse:
Some critics argue that the effect is a statistical artifact.
Dunning acknowledges these critiques as part of scientific inquiry and highlights ongoing research.
Trust and Decision-Making:
Trusting others, even strangers is essential for civilization.
People often trust due to social norms and the avoidance of being perceived as insulting.
Motivated Reasoning:
People tend to see what they want to see, even at the level of visual perception.
Decision-making is often influenced by wishful thinking and self-deception.
Social Media and Communication:
Social media lacks the politeness norms of face-to-face interaction.
New communication technologies often disrupt established social norms.
Balancing Trust and Gullibility:
Maintaining trust while avoiding gullibility is a complex challenge.
Social and professional institutions can help manage these issues.
Key Quotes
"The list of creative ways people have for reaching conclusions they wish to reach and dismissing conclusions they find threatening is amazing."
"On any particular topic, people who are not experts lack the very expertise they need in order to know just how much expertise they lack."
"I'm consigned to the observation that you become a master at a science once you realize that you are always going to be a beginner."
"We're built to be gullible. It is part of the rules that make civilization possible."
"Our ignorance is an everyday companion that we will all carry for the rest of our lives."
Why It Matters
Understanding the Dunning-Kruger effect is crucial because it highlights a fundamental aspect of human cognition: our tendency to be unaware of our ignorance. This awareness fosters humility, encourages lifelong learning, and improves decision-making processes across various fields. By recognizing the limitations of our knowledge, we can better navigate complex issues, seek diverse perspectives, and develop more effective strategies for personal and professional growth. Additionally, acknowledging the role of social norms in building trust and maintaining civilization emphasizes the importance of societal structures that promote cooperation and mutual understanding.
The Step-by-Step Guide to Go From Novice to Expert in Any Skill - Nat Eliason
In his article, "The Step-by-Step Guide to Go From Novice to Expert in Any Skill," Nat Eliason explores how individuals can develop their skills independently by leveraging the Dreyfus Model of Skill Acquisition. The model, introduced by Stuart and Hubert Dreyfus, breaks skill development into five distinct stages: Novice, Advanced Beginner, Competent, Proficient, and Expert. Eliason critiques simplistic views like the “10,000-hour rule” and provides a more nuanced approach to skill mastery. He describes each stage in detail, highlighting the cognitive and emotional transitions required to progress from one stage to the next. The article also offers practical advice on assessing one's current skill level and strategies for advancing through the stages.
Key Points
Introduction to the Dreyfus Model:
Developed by Stuart and Hubert Dreyfus in 1980.
Revised by Stuart Dreyfus later on.
Five stages: Novice, Advanced Beginner, Competent, Proficient, Expert.
Novice Stage:
Reliance on clear instructions or "recipes."
No context or perspective on the skill.
Analytical decision-making and detached engagement.
Example: Following coding guides or pre-packaged marketing guides.
Advanced Beginner Stage:
Begins to troubleshoot and recognize situational cues.
Contextual awareness improves, but still depends on recipes.
Can use maxims instead of strict rules.
Example: Using Stack Overflow to solve coding problems.
Competent Stage:
Develops rules about which recipes to apply in different situations.
Emotional involvement in outcomes begins.
Perspective shifts from none to choose.
Engagement shifts from detached to involved in the outcome.
Example: A photographer focusing on shutter speed for fast-moving subjects.
Proficient Stage:
Intuitive sense of goals but still needs to decide on execution.
Emotional investment in both goal setting and outcomes.
Perspective becomes intuitive.
Example: Recognizing SEO needs for an article but deciding the best approach.
Expert Stage:
Operates entirely by intuition.
Fully emotionally engaged in goals, actions, and outcomes.
Decision-making and perspective are intuitive.
Example: An expert chess player making the best moves without conscious thought.
Assessing Skill Level:
Most people are advanced beginners.
Importance of accepting emotional consequences for decisions.
Self-assessment is crucial for progress.
Key Quotes
On the Novice Stage: "The defining element of the novice is a reliance on recipes. Novices need clear instructions on how to do something in order to do it."
On the Advanced Beginner Stage: "The defining characteristic of the Advanced Beginner is recognizing 'aspects' of a situation."
On the Competent Stage: "The development of these rules is the key characteristic of the Competent."
On the Proficient Stage: "The defining characteristic of the Proficient is an intuitive sense of what the goal should be given the situation."
On the Expert Stage: "The Expert operates entirely by intuition. He or she knows what their goal should be, what to do about it, and what should happen as a result."
Why It Matters
Understanding the Dreyfus Model of Skill Acquisition is crucial for anyone looking to master a skill efficiently. Eliason's detailed breakdown offers a roadmap for self-improvement beyond simplistic metrics like the 10,000-hour rule. By recognizing the specific cognitive and emotional milestones at each stage, individuals can tailor their learning strategies to overcome the challenges unique to each level. This model helps set realistic expectations, avoid frustration, and foster continuous growth toward expertise.
Rise, Marginalization & Return of the Niche Internet
The article "Rise, Marginalization & Return of the Niche Internet" by Mac Budkowski explores the evolution of the Internet from its niche beginnings to its mainstream dominance by Big Tech and finally to the resurgence of niche communities. It discusses how the Internet originally served small, specialized groups with deep interests before mainstream platforms like Google, Facebook, and Twitter prioritized broad, ad-driven content. Despite the marginalization of niche communities, the article argues that recent changes in technology and business models are enabling a revival of the Niche Internet, where specialized content and communities can flourish once again.
Key Points
Early Niche Internet:
The Internet began with niche communities, primarily academics, defense employees, and geeks.
Users exchanged content and maintained digital friendships through Usenet, email, IRC, forums, and early websites.
Rise of Mainstream Internet:
Yahoo initially curated interesting websites, maintaining a human touch.
Google revolutionized content discovery with its search engine, making niche and mainstream content easily accessible.
Social media platforms like MySpace and Facebook centralized interactions but facilitated niche content discovery through user-shared links.
Marginalization of Niche Internet:
As social media platforms sought profitability, they limited the reach of external links to keep users on their sites, diminishing the visibility of niche content.
Google’s search results became dominated by ads and SEO-optimized content, making it harder to find niche websites.
Return of the Niche Internet:
Platforms like Reddit thrived by supporting niche communities and allowing external links, fostering a symbiotic relationship with Google.
New platforms and business models (e.g., Substack, Patreon) emerged, showing that direct consumer funding rather than ads can support niche content.
Key Quotes
"The Niche Internet was growing, and people - via e-mails, Usenet, or personal websites - were natural brokers of the content."
"When social networks have closed the gates and stopped being a good tool for discovering external content... people didn't explore the Internet the way the 80s & 90s users did."
"Reddit understood niches inside out and knew that penalizing links would be the beginning of the end for them."
Why It Matters
The article highlights the cyclical nature of the Internet, where niche communities initially thrived, were marginalized by mainstream platforms, and are now experiencing a resurgence. Understanding this evolution is crucial for appreciating online communities' dynamics and business models' impact on content discovery. This resurgence of the Niche Internet signifies a shift towards more personalized, in-depth content experiences driven by user interests rather than algorithmic recommendations. It underscores the importance of supporting diverse and specialized content, which can enrich the overall Internet ecosystem.
The Most Precious Resource is Agency - by Simon Sarris
Simon Sarris' article, "The Most Precious Resource is Agency," explores the concept of agency as the fundamental ability to act and influence one's life path. Drawing from historical examples of notable figures like Leonardo da Vinci, Andrew Carnegie, and Steve Jobs, Sarris argues that early, meaningful engagement in purposeful activities is crucial for developing agency. He critiques the modern educational and societal systems for failing to provide children with opportunities to gain real-world experience and contribute meaningfully, thereby stifling their potential for agency. Sarris suggests that the erosion of these opportunities leads to a lack of readiness for life and a sense of learned helplessness among young people.
Key Points
Historical Examples of Early Agency:
Notable figures like Leonardo da Vinci, Walt Disney, and Andrew Carnegie engaged in meaningful work from a young age, which helped them develop their capacities and achieve greatness.
These individuals often deviated from the expected scripts of their times to seize unique opportunities.
Critique of Modern Education:
Modern education systems prioritize schooling overdoing, often leading to an extended period of inactivity and meaningless work for children.
This systematization of skill and knowledge transfer has made childhood less about real-world engagement and more about following an abstract, often irrelevant, curriculum.
Loss of Onramps to Opportunity:
Historically, there were numerous avenues for young people to engage in meaningful work and learn valuable skills. These have diminished in contemporary society.
The lack of early, meaningful work opportunities is a primary reason for the reduced agency among today's youth.
Consequences of Reduced Agency:
The decline in agency leads to learned helplessness and a lack of readiness for real-world challenges.
Adolescence, which should be a time of mastering new skills and accepting responsibilities, is now often a time of waiting and engaging in meaningless tasks.
Potential Solutions:
Sarris highlights the importance of creating environments that allow children to explore and engage in meaningful activities.
He points to programming and the internet as modern avenues for children to gain agency by creating and doing without formal permission.
Key Quotes
On Early Lives and Learning to Reach:
"Before you grasp, you have to reach. How did they learn to reach?"
On Agency:
"Agency is the capacity to act. More subtly: An individual’s life can continue, with a certain inertia, that will lead them on to the next year or decade."
On Modern Education:
"Instead of an adolescence full of rites of passage, where one attempts to master something and accept responsibility, we have made it full of waiting, and doing work—for school is work—that nearly everyone knows is fake."
On the Importance of Doing:
"Learning is naturally the consequence of doing."
Why It Matters
The article underscores the critical importance of fostering agency in young people. By highlighting the deficiencies in modern education and societal structures that limit meaningful engagement and real-world experience, Sarris calls for reevaluating how we prepare children for adulthood. His insights suggest that young people may struggle to develop the skills and confidence necessary to navigate life's challenges without opportunities to act and influence their paths. This discussion is particularly relevant in today's rapidly changing world, where adaptability and proactive problem-solving are more crucial than ever. By advocating for environments that encourage doing and creating, Sarris emphasizes the need to actively equip the next generation with the tools to shape their futures.
To Understand the Future of Tesla, Look to the History of GM (hbr.org)
The article by Steve Blank draws parallels between the history of General Motors (GM) and the future of Tesla, particularly focusing on the roles of their respective leaders. Alfred P. Sloan, who became president of GM in 1923, is credited with transforming GM into a modern corporation and driving its growth to become a major player in the U.S. economy. Sloan was not the founder of GM; that credit goes to William Durant, who founded GM in 1904 but was later ousted and ended his career managing a bowling alley. The article questions whether Elon Musk, like Durant, will struggle to transition from a visionary pioneer to a reliable, high-volume car producer leader or if Tesla will find its own "Alfred P. Sloan" to steer the company through its next growth phase.
Key Points
Historical Context of GM:
Alfred P. Sloan is known as the "inventor of the modern corporation" and led GM from 1923 to 1956, making it a cornerstone of the U.S. economy.
Sloan was not the founder of GM; that was William Durant, who was a visionary but ultimately failed to manage GM’s transition to a stable corporation.
Comparison to Tesla:
Under Elon Musk, Tesla faces similar challenges to those GM faced in its early years, particularly transitioning from a pioneering startup to a large-scale manufacturer.
The article speculates whether Musk will follow Durant’s path, struggling to maintain control and manage growth, or if Tesla will find a leader like Sloan to ensure long-term stability.
Leadership and Vision:
Sloan’s success was due to his ability to implement organizational structure and strategic management, transforming GM into a sustainable and scalable business.
The article suggests that Musk’s visionary leadership needs to be complemented by someone who can handle the operational complexities of a mature automobile company.
Lessons from History:
GM's history provides valuable insights into Tesla's potential future, emphasizing the importance of transitioning leadership and management styles as companies grow.
The need for strategic, managerial leadership, in addition to visionary entrepreneurship, is highlighted as a critical factor for long-term success.
Key Quotes
On Alfred P. Sloan’s Role:
"By the middle of the 20th century, Alfred P. Sloan had become the most famous businessman in the world. Known as the 'inventor of the modern corporation,' Sloan was president of General Motors from 1923 to 1956, when the U.S. automotive industry grew to become one of the drivers of the U.S. economy."
On William Durant’s Downfall:
"William Durant founded GM and was widely hailed as a visionary. But Durant died managing a bowling alley in Flint, Michigan, in 1947."
On the Challenges for Tesla:
"The question for Tesla watchers is whether Musk is more like Durant or Sloan. As Tesla struggles to transition from a visionary pioneer to a reliable producer of cars in high volume, one wonders if Musk’s $2.6 billion compensation scheme would be better spent finding the company’s Alfred P. Sloan."
Why It Matters
This article is significant because it offers a historical perspective that provides valuable lessons for understanding the future trajectory of Tesla. By comparing Tesla's current situation with the early history of GM, the article underscores the importance of having the right leadership to transition from a disruptive startup to a stable, large-scale manufacturer. It highlights the potential pitfalls of relying solely on visionary leadership without complementing it with strong operational management. The historical analogy is a cautionary tale emphasizing the need for strategic planning and organizational structure to ensure long-term success and sustainability in the highly competitive automobile industry.
How to Think for Yourself (paulgraham.com)
In his essay "How to Think for Yourself," Paul Graham explores the importance and nature of independent-mindedness, especially in fields that require novel ideas, such as science, investing, startups, and essay writing. He contrasts these with conventional-minded roles, noting that the former requires thinking differently from peers while the latter does not. Graham argues that independent-mindedness is more a matter of nature than nurture but can be strengthened through certain practices.
He discusses the tendency of independent-minded individuals to self-segregate due to discomfort in conformist environments and the dilution of independent-mindedness in growing startups. Graham offers practical advice for cultivating independent-mindedness, such as surrounding oneself with other independent-minded people, engaging with diverse perspectives, and maintaining a skeptical attitude. He breaks down independent-mindedness into three components: fastidiousness about truth, resistance to being told what to think, and curiosity. Each component can substitute for the others to some extent, and together, they contribute to a person’s ability to generate new ideas.
Key Points
Nature of Independent-Mindedness:
Essential for success in fields requiring novel ideas: science, investing, startups, essay writing.
Less critical in conventional-minded roles like administration.
It is more a matter of nature than nurture but can be cultivated.
Challenges and Misunderstandings:
People often misjudge their place on the spectrum of independent- to conventional-mindedness.
Schools and early environments often suppress independent-mindedness.
Independent-minded individuals tend to self-segregate.
Cultivating Independent-Mindedness:
Surround yourself with independent-minded people.
Engage with diverse perspectives, including historical ones.
Maintain a skeptical attitude toward accepted ideas.
Components of Independent-Mindedness:
Fastidiousness about Truth: Carefully consider the degree of belief and avoidance of ideologies.
Resistance to Being Told What to Think: Active delight in counterintuitive ideas.
Curiosity: Inherent drive to seek new ideas, often visible in children.
Practical Advice:
Avoid conformist environments that stifle curiosity.
Seek out independent-minded friends and diverse perspectives.
Engage in practices that encourage skepticism and critical thinking.
Key Quotes
On the Necessity of Independent-Mindedness:
"To be a successful scientist, for example, it's not enough just to be correct. Your ideas have to be both correct and novel."
"You don't want to start a startup to do something that everyone agrees is a good idea, or there will already be other companies doing it."
On the Nature of Independent-Mindedness:
"Independent-mindedness seems to be more a matter of nature than nurture."
"If you pick the wrong type of work, you're going to be unhappy."
On Cultivating Independent-Mindedness:
"It matters a lot who you surround yourself with."
"You can expand the source of influences in time as well as space, by reading history."
Components of Independent-Mindedness:
"Fastidiousness about truth means more than just not believing things that are false. It means being careful about degree of belief."
"The desire not to be told what to think is a positive force. It's not mere skepticism, but an active delight in ideas that subvert the conventional wisdom."
Why It Matters
Understanding and cultivating independent-mindedness is crucial in fields that thrive on novel ideas and innovation. This essay highlights the importance of being not just correct but uniquely correct in competitive and innovative fields. Graham’s insights are particularly valuable for individuals in science, entrepreneurship, and other creative domains where thinking differently is an asset and a necessity.
Moreover, the essay provides practical strategies for fostering independent-mindedness, which can help individuals achieve greater satisfaction and success in their careers. By breaking down the concept into actionable components, Graham offers a roadmap for anyone looking to enhance their ability to think independently and generate unique insights.