1. The Main Ethical Considerations of Big Data
ETHICS OF BIG DATA
What is Big Data?
References
Privacy and Anonymity
Big data refers to large data sets that are difficult to capture, store, analyse and visualize with database software tools (Albodour 2015).
Albodour, R. (2015) Big Data [online lecture] module 220CT, 21 October Coventry: Coventry University. Available from < =share&utm_medium=copy> [10 October 2015] Bynum, T (2011), ‘Computer and Information Ethics’, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2008 Edition) [online] available from < computer/#PriAno> [10 October 2015] Finn, R., Donovan, A. & Wadhwa, K. (2014) Ethical and Social Issues in Big Data Practice [online lecture] module WP2, 11 September < social-rfinn?next_slideshow=1> [10 October 2015] Information Week (2015) Big Data Ethics: 8 Key Facts [online] available from < analytics/big-data-ethics-8-key-facts-to-onder/d/did/ ?_mc=RSS_IWK_EDT&image_number=3> [10 October 2015] Lyon, D. (2014) ‘Surveillance, Snowden and Big Data’ Sage Journals [online] available from < 861> [10 October 2015] Qmee (2013) Every 60 Seconds [online] available from < > [10 October 2015] Radar (2014) What’s up with Big Data Ethics? [online] available from < ethics.html> [10 October 2015] The Guardian (2013) How Secretly developed Software became capable of Tracking People’s Movements Online [online] available from < youtube_gdata_player> [10 October 2015]
Anonymity can encourage freedom of expression without the fear of judgement and allow people to reach out for help.
Despite privacy and anonymity providing people with security and peace of mind, it can also be exploited for undesirable activities online, such as drug trading, terrorism and preying upon the vulnerable (Bynum 2011).
Raytheon developed the RIOT software which enabled them to data collected by social networks and data associated with an IP address to profile an individual and know their everyday activities (The Guardian 2013).
Analysis of Big Data
Analysis of big data allows organizations to become more profitable through analysing big data for patterns and trends. For example finding shopping preferences of customers.
Collection of Big Data
Organizations must be transparent of how they are going to use the data collected from its users in their terms and conditions, which the consumers have to ability to consent to or decline (Information Week 2015) (Radar 2014).
Edward Snowden
Edward Snowden revealed that the NSA had gained access to millions of American’s telephone calls and internet communications to carry out mass surveillance (Lyon 2014). He also revealed that the UK was carrying out mass surveillance on its citizens without the public knowing. This raises the question of how big data can protect privacy and not be exploited by governments to spy on its citizens.
The Main Ethical Considerations of Big Data
Protect confidential, identifiable and privileged information
Prevent the unauthorized disclosure of confidential information
Do not misrepresent the quality or completeness of the data
Do not misuse data in way such that it misrepresents the truth
Every 60 Seconds…
With the increase of people using technology, data produced by users has increased in later years. However organizations collect their data from you. You provide all the information, such as hobbies, favourite films and events you have been to. This allows an organization to find out commonalities with other users and yourself, which can then be used to advertise specific products to an individual. Data mining is used to find ‘Suggested Friends’ on Facebook. It works by finding friends of friends, where you went to school, where you work etc.
Surveillance
Data mining has made it possible to identify individuals through their information because individuals now share a large amount of data about themselves, such as address, work place, hobbies and phone number. Therefore individuals may restrain themselves from particular activities fearing that they are being monitored (Finn, Donovan & Wadhwa 2014).
Every 60 Seconds (Qmee 2013)