CQ Press Lecture Spark

1. CQ Press Lecture Spark March 26, 2018 Connecting current events to your classroom

2. Facebook, Cambridge Analytica, and Elections • Facebook was accused of exposing data on 50 million Facebook users with Cambridge Analytica, a data analytics firm that was working with the Trump campaign. • How safe do you believe your online data should be? Do you care if a social media company shared your data with a firm working for a political candidate?

3. Facebook, Cambridge Analytica, and Elections In response to the revelations that Facebook shared user data with a firm tied to the Trump campaign, a movement to have users delete their Facebook profile has emerged. Would you, your friends, or your family delete your social media accounts if you discover a firm breached your privacy?

4. Key Concepts • Campaigns have used microtargeting techniques since before the invention of the Internet. • Microtargeting identifies voters based on various characteristics and then forms a strategy to persuade them to vote for your candidate or your party. • Cambridge Analytica is a political consulting firm involved in campaigns around the world and it uses data to microtarget voters. It’s one of hundreds of firms practicing similar techniques. • Social media is a popular place for campaigns to use microtargeting techniques to advertise.

5. Assessment Writing: Explain why some users are choosing to delete their Facebook accounts. Debate: If you choose to use private social media firms, should you be willing to give up some of your privacy? Poll: How many of you receive political information from the following: • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram • Snapchat Short Answer: Is the main concern with the Cambridge Analytica scandal that data was used to target voters or that Facebook’s privacy policies are lacking strength?