this post was submitted on 22 Oct 2025
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A Boring Dystopia

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Cool, cool cool cool. Nothing dystopian about that at all.

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[–] Saarth@lemmy.world 53 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (20 children)

There are dedicated tools, called Social Listening tools that do just these. Some examples are Brandwatch, Sprinklr, Talkwalker and Meltwater.

Not just Palantir, anyone and everyone is using these tools. From consumer companies to investment banks to your favourite content creator is using some kind of social listening to stay on top of trends and understand how you behave.

Reddit and Twitter are two social platforms that provide the most data openly and freely, and in reddit's case you can get a lot of historical data without extra cost.

Your favourite candle brand, and your favourite outdoor clothing company and protein shake company is part of your favourite reddit community listening to what you're talking about. They know if you like energy drinks, you might light heavily scented bath soaps too.

Deleted posts show up on these platforms quite often but when you click on them to go to reddit or twitter you'll get a not found or deleted page.

PS: I've been working in social listening for last 8 years.

[–] HasturInYellow@lemmy.world 45 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Why are you doing evil work..? Like... Why develop these tools that will so obviously be used to worsen our lives?

[–] Saarth@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago

I've been working mostly on the analysis side of things, currently I do this for a consumer goods company.

And yes I do it to make a living. Got hired as an analyst in this field out of MBA and stayed in this. Also being chronically online and familiar with social networks helped.

[–] False@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (3 children)

Gotta eat. Blame the system that creates this incentive not some individual wageslave

[–] QuoVadisHomines@sh.itjust.works 29 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Yes, but you can choose how to earn ypur living. It is unlikely they cannot do amy other job.

[–] Saarth@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago

I think coming out of an MBA, this is one of the less harmful jobs. I'd rather not be in consulting or investment banking or sales or big tech.

[–] guy@piefed.social 22 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] False@lemmy.world 0 points 2 days ago (3 children)

I feel like there's a big difference between snatching people off the street and making ad targeting smarter. Yeah they both suck, but orders of magnitude here.

[–] baines@lemmy.cafe 1 points 1 day ago

when these types of tools are used to decide whomto snatch I hope that is cold comfort

[–] november@piefed.blahaj.zone 11 points 2 days ago

making ad targeting smarter

The word you're looking for is "spying".

[–] guy@piefed.social 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Yes of course, but the excuse is the same

[–] SailorFuzz@lemmy.world 1 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

I can use a knife to open a box or open a person. Are these things the same because I used the same tool?

[–] guy@piefed.social 1 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago)

I'm not American so I don't know the tools ICE uses and if social listening or whatever it is called is one of those tools. But if your reasoning for opening the box and the reasoning for opening the person is the same.. well it's the same. Different outcomes, same reason

[–] Eheran@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago

I agree but at the same time, in a different thread who's topic specifically is shaming a company for working on the white house, people are foaming from their mouths that someone is working for Trump and downvote anyone who disagrees. The double standard is just mine blowing.

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