Introduction
The media industries (television, magazine, newspaper, and social media platforms) have evolved to embrace diverse aspects. These diverse aspects, such as datafication, have significantly improved media’s functionality in society. Datafication is converting our routine activities into useful information that media companies use to improve their operation. It relies on information such as consumer preferences and access trends. Data is an invaluable asset to the existence of any organization in the 21st century. Datafication has commanded better information storage and access methods, such as cloud technology. Developments have caused an interrelation between concepts associated with datafication. This literature will discuss the interrelation between datafication, audience commodity, advertisement or co-creation, self-branding, and subjectivity. The scramble for data also causes issues such as privacy, surveillance, and capitalism, which require effective intervention. The interrelation between datafication and the concepts as mentioned above is discussed at length in this literature.
Discussion
Datafication
Datafication has revolutionized the media industry by providing a basis for informed decision-making. Media organizations can access information concerning their user characteristics, such as content preferences. This information is vital in improving their service provision. Therefore, Media companies utilize this mechanism to generate revenue while improving their viewers’ user experience. Straub (2015, p.838) explores datafication and its imperative nature in times of uncertainty. The 21st-century media setup is resilient and seeks to counter any market challenges that occur. Like many other industries, they depend on big data for their forecasts and decision-making. However, Staub (2015, p.840) notes that despite the notion that big data promises countless solutions, it comes with increased complexity. With the rapidly developing automation and big data-related technologies, keeping up with the pace may take time. Datafication is significantly beneficial. The media industry has improved financial monitoring, trend analysis, predictive policing, and improved content development. Indeed, datafication promises improved societal well-being. Sadowski (2015, p.8) applauds the developments in datafication. Sophisticated algorithms and data visualization helps clearly understand trends in the media industry. Organizations have embraced the fact that large data sets offer more intelligence and knowledge to generate valuable insights that would be hard to achieve based on truth, objectivity, and accuracy (Sadowski, 2015, p.10). The main goal of datafication is to reduce uncertainty by performing accurate predictions. Some researchers are, however, skeptical about the implementation of datafication by media organizations and other industries. Sriram (2021, p.200) argues that datafication has a dire negative impact on human social lives. This literature will discuss related issues such as privacy ad surveillance as companies seek to maximize information.
Privacy and surveillance
Media organizations are taking desperate measures to obtain adequate data for their operation. This creates privacy and surveillance issues due to the unconsented access. More so, the illegally obtained data is shared with third parties, further jeopardizing media users’ security. Arguably datafication fanatics describe privacy as relative. Privacy is a claim by some individuals on the extent to which their information should be shared with third parties (Mollar and Nowak, 2019, p.9). Mollar and Nowak (2019, p.12) discuss surveillance and privacy as persistent issues in communication and media. They highlight media companies’ collection and use of data to influence society’s activities. For instance, in political communication research, it has been established that digital media plays a role in collecting and using voter data. Mollar and Nowak (2019, p.11) show Facebook’s input in influencing election outcomes raises concerns about the media’s influence in digital democracies. There is a need to improve awareness of the right to privacy and enact legislations that prompt media companies to uphold data security (Malakar and Choudhury, 2020, p.4). In the era of datafication and improving technological solutions, there needs to be a clearer demarcation of security levels. There must be a clear limit to how individual data can be shared with third parties. For digital media platforms, governments mostly fall victim to data privacy and surveillance ills. They have unlimited access to citizens’ email addresses, residence addresses, face data, location addresses, and activity logs (Malakar and Choudhury, 2020, p.6). This information can be obtained through biometrics, search histories, and personal chats. With the development of applications, massive data can be collected from users.
Privacy and surveillance challenges threaten media organizations’ functionality and risk their users’ safety. McMahon (2015, p.23) illustrates the challenges of regulating user privacy in this datafication era. Huge chunks of user data are collected from media users and sold to third parties who pose a significant risk of cyber insecurity. This affects the media organizations’ user trust and reputation and could be accompanied by massive financial losses. Datafication creates a “data enclosure” which is insecure from external access. It creates uncertainty in user information sharing. Companies such as Sony in 2014 suffered high-profile attacks due to the high-profile data in the organization. Mollar and Norwak (2019, p.15) attribute the risks in data security to the fragmented media industry. Companies work on project bits, thus increasing data flow from various organizations. This high data flow makes implementing a consistent and air-tight cybersecurity plan challenging. Media companies address privacy and surveillance issues by implementing in-depth cybersecurity policies and procedures. Datafication procedures demand that media organization employees be trained on methods to maintain data security. Sriram (2021, p.200) recognizes the importance of regular security assessments and employee training to respond appropriately to cybersecurity threats. Media organizations have embraced secure channels for the transmission of user data. This includes encryption to bar external access to transmitted information. Also, media organizations have massive amounts of user data stored on their servers. It is crucial to maintain the integrity of this data by conducting regular vulnerability tests. More so, multifactor authentication systems prevent access to data storage sites in media organizations. Lastly, regulation authorities should enact strict non-compliance policies to ensure media companies promote the utmost user-data security. They should also bar unwarranted access and sell user data to third parties.
The audience commodity
Data is crucial for the tailoring of media operations. Audience as a commodity is when media companies view their customers as valuable resources to their operations. Audience as a commodity ensures that media organizations are specific in their content delivery. They tailor their content according to their customer preferences. This includes subscription plans catering to all their consumer financial strengths and improved content delivery per the audience’s choices. When media organizations evolve to study and consider the audience’s preferences, they enjoy increased user engagement and more revenue generation. Arts (2008, p.5) focuses on diverse perspectives of audience and commodity concerning the developments in mass media communications. He describes audiences as commodities that are valuable to advertisers and programmers. Media organizations are tasked with building audiences through their programs and operations. These audiences have an intrinsic value to the advertisers. According to Arts (2008, p.7), the more the audience has similar characteristics to real customer demographics, the more valuable it is to the advertiser. This implies that datafication plays a significant role in extracting the value of an audience as a commodity. The more data a media organization has about its users, the more insights it can generate to suit an advertiser’s demand.
We can also discuss audience commodities in relation to the digital labor sector. Manzerole (2010, p.455) focuses on mobilizing the audience commodity in the digital wireless world. Concepts of digital labor are better understood by correlating findings from Karl Marx and Dallas Symthe. There is a notable increase in the usage of smart devices in the 21st century. These applications demand more user data for their optimal operation. Since these devices are the tools for digital labor, there is a need to maximize human productivity for the best results. Marx describes creating extra value by enclosing social and communicative relations between workers (Manzerole, 2010, p.455). He highlights the importance of cooperation in improved productivity for digital labor. Dallas Smythe analyzes the audience as a commodity from the perspective of media services. He states that media channels capture audiences’ attention through free programs. This provides a platform for advertisers to sell their products to their audience. Manzerole (2010, p.455) illustrates that media companies are vital platforms for circulating commodities through competitive Information and Communication Technology frameworks. Based on Manzerole’s argument of capturing audience attention, datafication will maximize output. It will be crucial for making data-driven decisions that improve organizational performance.
Advertising and co-creation
Advertisement includes presenting products before an audience to improve its purchase. Media has been the main tool for advertisers for a long time. Co-creation is when companies consider their customers’ feedback during product development. Advertisements need the right audience to generate desired results. This requires an analysis channel that guarantees maximum efficiency. Advertisements are more efficient, blended with market research and referred to user demographics. Datafication is the ultimate route to effective advertisement insights. It assures the collection of substantial information for improved advertiser output. Sriram et al. (2021, p.200) recognize the influence of social media on customer purchase intention. Social media advertisements promise to solve the long-time challenge of customer acceptability of commercials. Social media offers a cost-effective and convenient marketing platform. Advertisements with entertainment and informative aspects deliver better results. To achieve informativeness, media organizations require to understand customer demands. Sriram et al. (2021, p.200) attribute the entertainment and informativeness of an advertisement to an audience’s perception. Data is crucial in compiling the right information in the advertisement that allows customers to make informed choices. Although most consumers and producers in the 21st-century focus on online advertisements, there are growing concerns about their authenticity. This demands accurate data collection and analysis to ensure the advertising is satisfactory.
Advertisements have raised a major concern. A substantial literature has been presented on the effects of advertisements on consumer well-being. Unlimited access to user data by media companies is entirely detrimental to their privacy. Stafford and Pounders (2021, p.487) highlight the criticism since the inception of advertisements. Some skeptics question its intent. Advertisements’ detriments are argued based on materialism and promoting unhealthy lifestyles. Experts relate advertisements to customer satisfaction. For instance, misleading advertisements may provide wrong information on product costs, quality, or safety. This has a direct influence on consumer well-being. Advertisements’ impact on user well-being is a broad and complex topic. For instance, it also involves the impacts of advertisements on children’s behavior. Explicit advertisements can cause moral erosion among children. Stanford and Pounders (2021, p.487) argue that alcohol advertisements with young models have a significant influence on increased alcohol consumption among the youths. This literature indicates a huge connection between user data and the effectiveness of advertisements. It illustrates the importance of utilizing available data to ensure appropriate audience targets. This will minimize the negative effects of advertisements.
Conclusion
Datafication is an increasingly developing aspect in 21st-century industries, especially the media platforms. It contains invaluable information which can help make informed decisions about many processes. It promises to tackle uncertainty in new markets and offers an opportunity to make informed decisions. Its interrelation with other numerous aspects of the media sphere makes it an interesting topic to explore. Datafication causes concerns such as privacy and surveillance. In pursuing essential data, media organizations may invade user data or sell it to third parties. Such scenarios jeopardize consumer data security. Cybersecurity is an increasingly troublesome affair in the current internet era. Loopholes in the datafication systems allow hackers to access media users’ information unlawfully. This is a risk to financial safety and privacy. However, datafication has numerous other benefits in the media sphere, such as advertisements. Advertisements rely on the information media organizations collect on the consumer’s preferences. The viewership characteristics help media companies to position their commercials for maximum advertisement output effectively. Despite criticism of advertisement suitability due to its consumerism ideals, media can ensure effective communication to the right target audiences. Lastly, data has created the existence of an audience as a commodity. Audiences are resourceful to advertisers. Media organizations ensure that their audiences are effectively engaged to guarantee revenue generation. Datafication offers a channel for improved media operations. However, they should increasingly ensure data security procedures to maintain customer safety.
References
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