Twitter Opens Entire Database to MIT - How Will It Be Used?

Predictive technology is exploding, in stealth, across the virtual landscape. The arrival of Big Data initiatives by government, as well as a massive industry of data brokers is not only putting privacy at risk, but is offering those with access to the information unprecedented ways to manage the lives of everyday citizens.

The viral story of Facebook using their algorithms to go beyond surveillance and actually manipulate the emotions of users as a type of psychology experiment has caused consternation among anyone who might have had illusions of social media privacy, or beneficent intentions of offering free peer-to-peer communication.

Twitter is the latest to seek new ways to utilize its massive database of public information. It has granted MIT's Media Lab $10 million to analyze all communications beginning with the very first post in 2006.

It isn't specified exactly what the focus of the research will be, but there are some indications that it will be an attempt to further highlight budding social movements in order to potentially counter them with propaganda .... http://www.activistpost.com