US scandal shows big data manipulation likely in next Thai election: analysts

By ASINA PORNWASIN 
THE NATION 

 

 

IT IS highly likely that Thailand will see the use of voter profiling through social media in the next general election, experts have predicted.
 

They agreed the time was right and the technology was readily available for this to happen, in the same way that US President Donald Trump’s campaign team benefited from a large cache of personal details collected from some 50 million Facebook users.

 

The data was used for psychological profiling of American voters and a powerful database helped carry Trump to victory in the 2016 presidential election.

 

This has become an issue after Facebook expressed outrage over the “misuse” of its data by Cambridge Analytica, the British company at the centre of a major scandal rocking the social media giant.

 

The UK firm suspended its chief executive, Alexander Nix, after recordings emerged in which he boasted that his data company played an expansive role in Trump’s election campaign, doing all of its research and analytics as well as digital and television campaigns, Agence France-Presse reported yesterday.

 

In undercover filming captured by Britain’s Channel 4 News, the suspended CEO is also seen boasting about entrapping politicians and secretly operating in elections around the world through shadowy front companies.

 

According to www.statista.com, as of January 2018, Thailand has the eighth highest number of Facebook users in the world, with 51 million people using the social network.

 

Bhume Bhumiratana, a researcher and educator in cyber-security, said yesterday that it was highly likely that the next general election in Thailand would see the use of big data analytics in profiling voters.

 

He said that profiling of social media users was nothing new in Thailand, although it was usually done for marketing purposes.

 

People involved in consumer profiling may partner with some politicians or political parties in order to determine their targeted voters, in an attempt to win more votes in their election campaigning, he said.

 

“Technologically speaking, it’s possible to use information about people’s preferences in election campaigning,” he said.

 

He also warned Facebook users that their personal information was already being collected by various apps that seek their permission for access to their data.

 

“There is a high likelihood these apps will use our personal data in a wrong way. Many advertisements target us and we don’t know the real intention,” he said.

 

Arthit Suriyawongkul, coordinator of Thai Netizen Network, a leading non-profit campaign that advocates digital rights and liberties, said yesterday that there are many apps that collect personal data and personal details of social media users, particularly on Facebook.

 

The most popular among those apps is VonVon, which is well known among Thai social media users, he said, noting that the app uses the same application programming interface (API) as the one used by Cambridge Analytica.

 

Arthit said such profiling could be done easily here, as Thailand still has no law that protects personal data in general.

 

However, he saw nothing wrong with political parties campaigning about what their prospective voters want to hear, unless the database is misused or illegally obtained. “There should be no problem if the parties can keep their promises,” he added.

 

He said he was more concerned that this issue could be used by the Election Commission or the National Broadcast and Telecommunications Commission as a reason for tighter control of social media.

 

Poomjit Sirawongprasert, president of the Thai Hosting Club, said that voter profiling with the goal of winning an election could be done in Thailand as long as the people involved have the knowledge, money and time.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30341448

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-03-22

 

Unfortunately, the organic law on election manipulation, hasn't been promulgated yet !!

So political parties will have to wait...  

1 hour ago, cornishcarlos said:

Unfortunately, the organic law on election manipulation, hasn't been promulgated yet !!

So political parties will have to wait...  

Quote from the PM in tomorrow's press "So we will have to delay the election until at least 2020. It's a shame but these things must be addressed."

 

Maybe I shouldn't be giving the government ideas.

So, this Friday on the Friday night PM special, he'll be telling everybody to use Facebook as much as possible

6 hours ago, webfact said:

He also warned Facebook users that their personal information was already being collected by various apps that seek their permission for access to their data.

 

Election?

 

What election?

 

We don't need no steenking election...

9 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

So, this Friday on the Friday night PM special, he'll be telling everybody to use Facebook as much as possible

 

What is that programme if not manipulation itself? Or at least it would be if anyone actually watched it, which nobody does.

6 minutes ago, baboon said:

What is that programme if not manipulation itself? Or at least it would be if anyone actually watched it, which nobody does.

I record them all and watch them avidly at least 5 times a week with my family. Shame on you ! You should be deported !

LOL number 1: AFP who is one of the top influencer liar of hournalistic world..

LOL number 2: they just realized now?

 

I do not know if Land Destroyer blog spots are allowed but it is apparently much worst than this article states....

Good article as well about Cambodian Hun Sen and Cambodian opposition been paid directly by US funds..

 

http://landdestroyer.blogspot.com/2018/02/confirmed-us-meddling-in-thailands.html

 

...as if THAT was needed, to rig "elections" (if they are ever to be) in Thailand!

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The most popular among those apps is VonVon, which is well known among Thai social media users

Yeah, this sort of app could be devastating for Thai democracy.

 

Here's a few data-gathering samples from VonVon's landing page.

 

1. What Would You Look Like With A Face Lift?

2. How Many People Want To Have Sex With You Right Now?

3. What's Your Barbie Look?

4. Who Secretly Has A Huge Crush On Your Mom?

 

 

2 hours ago, Darcula said:

Yeah, this sort of app could be devastating for Thai democracy.

 

Here's a few data-gathering samples from VonVon's landing page.

 

1. What Would You Look Like With A Face Lift?

2. How Many People Want To Have Sex With You Right Now?

3. What's Your Barbie Look?

4. Who Secretly Has A Huge Crush On Your Mom?

 

 

 

I feel sorry for the poor souls who get targeted with the Facebook  advert of dear leader selling buttock whitning  cream while telling them who to vote.

It would have to compete with good old THB manipulation.

TIME for elections! we better  WATCH out

10 hours ago, webfact said:

manipulation likely in next Thai election

?????

yep.... highly likely.... I would say it’s guaranteed!

hopefully these analysts are paid in accordance with the worth of their findings... in this case... they should be paid absolutely nothing.

And what do those analysts think of buying millions of votes for 500 baht a piece?? For sure that will work again coming elections...

This is so NOT news. Data mining for elections and other campaigns is NOTHING new. So what Trump used it. Every Party uses it. Who cares, really if you can actually read this post of mine you probably can already think for yourself.

5 hours ago, CantSpell said:

LOL number 1: AFP who is one of the top influencer liar of hournalistic world..

LOL number 2: they just realized now?

 

I do not know if Land Destroyer blog spots are allowed but it is apparently much worst than this article states....

Good article as well about Cambodian Hun Sen and Cambodian opposition been paid directly by US funds..

 

http://landdestroyer.blogspot.com/2018/02/confirmed-us-meddling-in-thailands.html

 

That article is totally absurd.