The socio-economic algorithm is already being developed
It was in 2016 when the social networking giant filed an application to patent a new system that with the help of an artificial intelligence algorithm will determine the financial situation of the user.
The topic came to light of course very recently and we learned that Facebook analyzes the answers given by users to specific questions, at the same time that it gathers information from our online action. And this to classify us into three distinct categories: working class, middle class and ruling class.
"The online system uses categories to predict the socioeconomic category of users," says the patent application. These categories include demographics and statistics, but they also look at our electronic activity, looking at even the models of our devices, the use we make of the internet, how much we travel, if we have studied other "socio-economic factors".
But why does Facebook want to know how many billions its users make? The strategy is aimed at just that, after all, he can not ask directly, as criticism of the fact that he pokes his nose everywhere is growing.
As analysts who know point out, it all has to do with advertising and managing the world's consumer habits more effectively. And as many scolded Facebook's new algorithm, a company spokesman commented meaningfully: "We often look for patents for technologies we do not apply and patents should not serve as indicators for our future plans."