What is Microtargeting?

 Have you ever noticed that after a political debate, your social media fills up with ads that correlate directly to personal interests/concerns? 

Maybe you just got done discussing college expenses with your friend and you receive an ad about student loans or posts about climate change solutions right after sharing an article about wildfires. This is not a coincidence- this is known as microtargeting! 

Microtargeting is an exceptionally powerful tool that has become prominent with modern political campaigns. It allows for messages to be tailored specifically to you based on your online behavior. While it has proven to be effective, it raises significant questions regarding privacy and the integrity of our democracy.