
For $29, This Company Swears It Will ‘Brainwash’ Someone on Facebook - creaghpatr
https://www.thedailybeast.com/for-dollar29-this-company-swears-it-will-brainwash-someone-on-facebook
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clojurestan
I want to get some of my co-workers a campaign like, "write tests!"

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beaconstudios
suddenly their facebook fills up with ads: "this one weird trick developers
use to reduce bugs - testers hate him!"

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everdev
> You don’t have to click, because if you're exposed to the same content over
> and over it’s like brainwashing.

This theme is repeated throughout the article but is missing data on actual
behavioral change.

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chillacy
That’s a bit exaggerated but we do know from psychology about the availability
heuristic, which is the underpinning of modern advertising.

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stingraycharles
Isn’t this the whole idea of marketing and branding for the 50 or so years
before the Internet was a thing ?

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perl4ever
A past project:

"Burn Money was a simple, free app that performed one function very well. You
make an in-app purchase between $1 and $100 in real money, then watch as that
amount in U.S. currency goes up in flames on your screen. The app recorded a
video of the virtual conflagration that you could post on social media, and
emailed you a “certificate” confirming you spent up to $100 for absolutely
nothing."

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jammygit
The service advertises being able to get people to play slot machines
more[1]...

Message: Play slots! Target: Existing slot players

Exposure to articles such as:

"Woman hits $1.6 million slot jackpot at Vegas airport Launch your micro-
targeted content campaign today"

[1] [https://www.thespinner.net/](https://www.thespinner.net/)

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lawlessone
Can i brainwash myself?

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stuntkite
It helps if you can forget you did it maybe? I think it would still work
though. Like Neuro Linguistic Programming. The repetition would most likely
sink in if you're an active Fb user. If you gave yourself a way to deny that
you put it into action it might be more effective. I'd be interested to double
blind that honestly. Lol. I have a few hundred bucks and am interested in
making a medium.com post.

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azhenley
Please tell me this isn’t real. I wonder if harassment or stalking laws could
apply (I know nothing about law).

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elliekelly
There's a tort called "Intrusion of Solitude" that has been applied to online
privacy but it would still be difficult here because you have to prove mental
anguish or suffering. I suppose if you were "brainwashed" into proposing and
then ended up divorcing the mental anguish wouldn't be terribly difficult to
prove. If you were "brainwashed" into buy a puppy on the other hand... you're
probably out of luck.

I would imagine it _has_ to run afoul of at least one state's wiretapping laws
though.

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dwighttk
And this is one of the reasons I use an ad blocker.

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snazz
I was not aware that it’s possible to target Facebook ads that closely. Does
anyone know how this company can do this?

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everdev
It says you have to pick groups of 20 as your target advertising audience, but
you can select 19 men and 1 woman and say the as should only be shown to women
to effectively target a single individual.

The practice is called "sniping".

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swarnie_
That HAS to be illegal right? I'll be very disappointed if it isn't

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mateo1
I don't know if it's illegal or not but this is the financial building block
of almost all modern IT companies. Brainwashing people as a service. Did you
miss out on this? Is it really that different when you can do it with $29 on
one person than with $290 on 100 persons or $100k on a million?

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everdev
> Is it really that different when you can do it with $29 on one person than
> with $290 on 100 persons or $100k on a million?

Yes.

It would take tons of time to protect individuals from deceptive advertising.
The bigger the group and the more public the ad the easier it is to protect
the public.

Also, for $29 someone could bombard you with content about suicide or other
dark topics and just be relentless with negativity.

It's so much different than showing an ad to 100 women ages 30-45 in Chicago.

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forgottenpass
Is pushing anxiety, inadequacy, incompleteness and consumerism into the minds
of 100 women ages 30-45 in Chicago more justifiable than if it were "suicide
or other dark topics."

I think we've defined "acceptable" advertising by working backward from what
people find profitable to advertise about. We can chip at the edges here and
there (not these products, forced demographic boundaries (or lack thereof))
but the overwhelming thrust isn't effected. It's a lie we tell ourselves
because the alternative is to admit we're powerless. Powerless to control the
content of ads, and powerless to identify and repel the forces ads wants to
effect on our psyche.

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acct1771
You are NOT powerless. Mute the TV, close the Facebook or YouTube video. At
minimum, turn away. Learn to ignore the ad areas, or use an ad blocker.
Resist.

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joeblau
I wonder if this would work on a VC? Say you've got an idea and you're trying
to raise money from a Venture firm. Target the firms GPs with info that your
business is trying to solve and then when you pitch them, they'll love your
idea.

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smileysteve
I don't think this is a secret?

It has been a trend at startup weekends and accelerators since ~2014; Target
your investors, coaches, and class to at least get them to perceive your brand
as bigger than it is and use your app -- or get their children, friends to be
aware of the brand.

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joeblau
Ah okay. I’m just slow to figure this out then :)!

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Bergrebell
"Brainwash" by targeting Ads. Clickbait of doom!

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towaway1138
Ironically, as in _Inception_ , a wife would probably be a lot happier overall
if she was having more sex.

That said, over and above the ethical issues, what man really wants a wife
they have to nag for sex? I'll take solitude.

