Big Data & the Big Issues it Creates

Big Data & the Big Issues it Creates

Big data and the Information of Things (IoT) are raising many issues regarding ethics and privacy concerns. The primary dilemma is how the massive amount of research and data, and the devices generating, disseminating, and storing the information, can be used for positive purposes without violating the rights of the individuals whose information has been gathered, including privacy.

Supporters of big data analytics argue that the use of comprehensive digital data will promote advancements in education, medicine, marketing, and numerous other fields and industries. However, consumer groups argue that without strict guidelines and supervision of the use of big data, individuals who wish to remain anonymous could be identified or discriminated against. A common example is certain benefits could be offered to some consumers while others are charged inflated prices or interest rates.

In response to the debate, President Obama has started a federal review dedicated to examining the effect of big data technologies, how they can pose threats to the privacy of individuals, and creating potential policy and technological solutions. The overall goal is to maximize the potential afforded by the use of big data while minimizing the privacy risks to individuals.

A workshop at M.I.T. is the first in a series of academic events, sponsored in part by the White House, intended to explore all of these issues. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has created a free open online course system, called MITx, which has amassed a wealth of data about students. This data could be used to evaluate the efficacy of virtual teaching methods and help develop ways for improving teaching online, but it also contains information regarding the students. It will be interesting to see if the opposing interests are able to reach a manageable solution.

If you have any questions about big data or would like to discuss your company’s data protection strategies, please contact me, Fernando M. Pinguelo, or the Scarinci Hollenbeck attorney with whom you work. To learn more about data privacy and security, visit eWhiteHouseWatch – Where Law, Technology, & Politics Collide (www.eWHWblog.com).