RE:Social Media Influence in MarketingGoogle has made a fortune doing this and saved themselves from possible bankruptcy years ago. Others like Facebook, Instagram etc.... were quick to follow. We have all been targetted by data mining tactics for years. Books have been written on this subject. That free app on your phone is probably just another data collection tool. What is done with the data has risen some concerns for some. Used properly, it's a wonderful resource, unfortunately that isn't always the case.