Advertising Technologies, Tactics, and Aftermaths: The Unintended Consequences of Social Media, Branded Content, and Data Mining

Advertising and technology have a long, synergistic history. That interrelationship affects the economics of the media industry, the content we receive, and the level of sponsorship opacity. Digital technologies have led to an increase in obscured commercial messages and consumer surveillance because the biases of these tools drive the push toward amassing data and creating a technology-tethered population. Four examples demonstrate the evolution of advertising techniques that have occurred due to changes in technology. The combination of technologies and techniques have created opportunities for divisiveness and hatred to flourish all in the name of advertising engagement.