The Wholly Alliance: Psychographics Ethics and the Internet of Things

Psychographic techniques allow for the prediction of choices, personality traits, and latent variables which might be associated with sensitive user information. By combining these techniques with behavioural traces obtained from internet of things (IoT) devices, these methods are poised to seriously challenge individual privacy and autonomy placing considerable power in the hands of choice architects. Following a review of models of persuasive communication, an overview of the methods, efficacy, and use of psychographic research is presented. The Cambridge Analytica is presented as a model to demonstrate both the ethical concerns raised by these techniques, organizational responses, and public reaction. Finally, five ethical issues associated with the IoT are considered, focusing on how the heterogeneity of the device and heterarchical structure of informal regulation create a problematic sociotechnical system.