Determining the personality of Internet users by analyzing their digital footprints in the light of selected research by Michał Kosiński

Abstract

According to data from Internet Live Stats, in April 2021, about 92,000 queries were made, every second, in the Google search engine. Each activity performed by users of digital devices is indexed as so-called digital footprints [also called digital traces], thanks to which it is possible, using appropriate technologies and methods, to precisely define personality traits, political views and sexual orientations of these users.

The article was inspired by the works of PhD Michał Kosiński and describes the issues related to analyzing digital traces of Internet users (mainly social media).

The main aim of the article is to present the research by PhD Michał Kosiński and to draw the attention of the IT community to the issues related to analyzing the digital traces of Internet users. This work is of a popularizing nature and does not constitute a comprehensive description of the achievements of the indicated scientist. The article does not present new information or own research – however, it is intended to encourage recipients to analyze the literature on the subject of analyzing digital traces and privacy in the digital age.

The work uses the method of database content analysis – to collect and analyze the literature on the subject. The focus was on the resources made available by PhD Kosinski through his private website – https://www.michalkosinski.com Additionally, datamining techniques were used to summarize the archival content published on the Cambridge Analytica website.

The chronological range of the searched writing materials was narrowed from 2011 to the first quarter of 2021, focusing mainly on the years 2013–2021, i.e. from the year of publishing the article Private traits and attributes are predictable from digital records of human behavior until the year of publication of the text Facial recognition technology can expose political orientation from naturalistic facial images.

The article presents selected works by PhD Michał Kosiński, which constitute "milestones" in research on determining the personality of Internet users within the publication of the indicated author. Consequently, the article does not present the works that described part of the research or contributed to taking larger, further measurements.