Brain hacking
Brain hacking is a popular term describing attempts to influence human decisions by overtaking control mechanisms in the brain. Allegedly, brain hacking can induce decisions that go against a personal system of beliefs. The term became popular after the recent Cambridge Analytica scandal. Allegedly, an algorithm can be used to collect data from social media, and predict what messages could be used to influence decisions of social media users. A myth says that such predictions can be used to swing elections more effectively that direct advertising. In particular, the electorate has allegedly been swayed in the Brexit referendum and in the election of Donald Trump. In reality, brain hacking is too immature to make a dent. The science is hazy, and efficiency negligible. Fake news and direct advertising provide better returns on investment without complex personality trait analysis.
For more see:
- Radicalization myth
- Myth: Our brains can get hacked by algorithms
- Yuval Harari does not understand the brain (Harari is a chief doomsayer who contributed to promoting the term brain hacking)
This glossary entry is used to explain texts in SuperMemo Guru series on memory, learning, creativity, and problem solving