The Ethical Aspect of Using Algorithms for Content Personalization in Social Networks

The current stage of development of the sphere of mass communications is connected to the widespread integration of artificial intelligence technologies. These technologies are also used for content personalizing which involves generating a unique message for each individual recipient based on his or her digital footprint. The main objective of automated personalization content is to improve users’ experience and optimize the process of information consumption. However, algorithms which are used for personalizing feeds in social networks entail a number of problems. The study examines the role of personalizing algorithms in modern society and analyzes the ethical aspects of their functioning. In the practical part of the work we study the advantages and disadvantages of personalized Facebook’s feed and formulate recommendations for improving the operation of the algorithms. The empirical significance of the study is connected to the possibility of applying its results to increase users’ awareness of the work of algorithms in social networks, as well as to increase the transparency of their functioning. The work contains an introduction, two chapters and a conclusion. The list of used literature and sources includes 113 titles. Keywords: personalization, algorithms, ethics, social networks.