Kristin Conlin

Psychometric profiles use statistical modeling to create a hypothesis on your behavior. These profiles are created from your past behavior and demographic data, and are not indicative of any certain future, but they’re pretty accurate.  Data collected to create a psychometric profile can come from public spaces where you  volunteer your data, but also from spaces where you are observed or your data is taken without your permission.

Is resistance futile?  No, but we must understand the system in order to protect ourselves.  The Tactical Tech Collective created a resource that describes psychometric data collection and how it’s gathered and use to influence elections and economies around the world. More recently as part of a Glass Room exhibit, the Tactical Tech Collective created tool that uses (self reported) psychometric data create a profile of the user.  The tool called, “A Drop in the Ocean” is named for the OCEAN model which is named for the five main personality traits it measures: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism.

The University of Cambridge also created a digital footprint discovery tool called, “Apply Magic Sauce” The tool allows you to use the same data collected by campaign groups, ad agencies, and other groups seeking to target content to consumers/uses. By creating a prediction based on your digital footprint, you will be able to see how outside observers understand you and your behavior as well as how that prediction impacts the content you consume in digital spaces.  NOTE: For full transparency, read the “Statement of Politics” before using the Apply Magic Sauce tool.