Instagram began selling advertising in September 2014 as a way to generate more business and revenue for the company. After this change, users of the social networking platform would see an advertisement aimed at them as they scroll through their feed for a product they may be interested in purchasing, this is done through an algorithmic program in the platform. The process of learning about this technique is nothing new to businesses, as Caudill and Murphy explain before Internet shopping became popular. “They [the inspectors] watched as shoppers chose strawberries and noted the process parents go through to choose a box of cereal. Consumers don't seem concerned about this invasion of privacy; after all, they are in a public place” (Caudill & Murphy, 2000, p.7). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay They elaborate on this further by stating that consumers felt comfortable even being monitored, they had their anonymity intact because they could choose to pay cash for a product they wanted. This anonymity unfortunately changes as consumers move to the Internet. Their purchasing behaviors are no longer available only in aggregate form. Instead, individuals are tracked and information is compiled into big data through machine learning which is then fed into algorithmic advertising from purchase transactions as they browse through websites (Caudill & Murphy, 2000). The privacy concern with this method applied to Internet users is that the way in which personal data is collected for one purpose (e.g. marketing) can be used for other sinister purposes and could have impacts on lifestyle choices, prejudicial jobs, maintaining stereotypes and being misjudged. The way Instagram collects this data is identical to that of its parent company Facebook. The danger of these algorithmic ads became clear in 2016, when Olivia Solon, a journalist for The Guardian newspaper, shared on her profile a screenshot of an email she had received containing rape and murder threats against her. Please note: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay The company's algorithms then turned the photo into a Facebook ad, so it appeared to Solon's Facebook friends as an "ad." Putting her at risk and making her obligation to respect personal privacy superfluous. This situation is but one example of how big data driven by machine learning and artificial intelligence is not the sufficient way to manage unnecessary personal data. Caudill and Murphy conclude that “The voluntary nature of compliance is particularly important to privacy advocates, who argue that companies do not always compete with consumer interests”; a firm's degree of compliance is more likely to be based more on its profit objectives” (Caudill & Murphy, 2000, p..12).