"Our privacy is disintegrating" — When Shark Tank's Mark Cuban claimed social media posts would be used to build psychological profiles

Shark Tank investor and entrepreneur Mark Cuban has addressed concerns regarding digital privacy, emphasizing the growing impact of social media posts in shaping individuals' psychological profiles. In a September 9, 2014 interview with Inc., he explained that

“We are about to go through a huge transformation in digital media, for the simple reason that people are starting to recognize that privacy, our privacy is disintegrating in a lot of respects.”

Cuban detailed how online activity, including social media engagement, contributes to data collection and profiling, affecting various aspects of life such as employment, legal matters, and targeted advertising.

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How digital footprints shape online and real-world perceptions according to Shark Tank Mark Cuban

Social media posts and psychological profiling

Mark Cuban described how social media interactions, including following accounts, retweeting, and reposting, contribute to the creation of detailed psychological profiles. The Shark Tank investor explained,

“Every person you follow on Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, Facebook, whatever it may be, every person you retweet, repin, repost, regram on social media defines who you are.”

He noted that applications analyze these behaviors to predict future actions. He also highlighted that this data is not limited to online platforms but extends to real-life situations. Cuban warned,

“You are by what you do on social media, you are creating a profile about yourself and that is going to be used not just by online companies but that’s going to be used in every walk of life.”

He described potential implications for job seekers, where companies might conduct an “online social media analysis” to develop a psychological profile based on digital behavior.

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The legal and business implications of digital footprints

Cuban explained that social media history could impact legal cases. He noted that digital behavior might be analyzed to link individuals to traits or past cases. Lawyers could use algorithms to compare online activity with convicted individuals, influencing legal arguments and outcomes.

He also addressed the use of facial recognition technology in public spaces. The Shark Tank investor suggested that companies would use predictive analytics to anticipate consumer behavior based on location and past digital activity.

“You’re going to be walking down the street and they’re going to recognize who you are from a video, through video facial recognition,” he noted.

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Digital communication and data control

Cuban discussed concerns over text messages and private digital communication, explaining that once a message is sent, the sender no longer has control over it. He emphasized that the recipient gains ownership of the message and can use, alter, or interpret it in various ways.

The Shark Tank investor explained that recipients could alter or interpret messages in unintended ways, leading to potential misrepresentation. He also outlined potential risks of text-based communication compared to images. He stated,

“At least a picture tells you a thousand words; with a text, the other 995 can be created by anybody to create whatever picture they want to create.”

To address these concerns, he developed messaging applications designed to delete messages after a set period, aiming to limit digital footprints.

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