Big data and data collection is certainly an uncomfortable thing to think about. Several different servers owned by massive corporations are collecting each and every piece of data we produce by living in an online society. The idea that big data and data analytics is inherently good or bad may be a bit too black and white for the issue. I would say it’s both a give and a take, inherently it is a good thing, but when misused it becomes a bad thing.
On the inherently good side, AI and data analytics are there for humanity’s convenience. A computer keeping a record of your interests and search histories will be able to help recommend similar topics to you as it learns about you. These newly introduced topics or pieces of information can help lead someone to a place where they can find new interests, discoveries, or even lead you to new topics worth exploring. This is one of the revolutionary changes as it mimics the way human curiosity would lead them to bigger and better things at a fraction of the time it would normally take.
Inherently, this revolutionary change is a very good thing, as it advances humanity’s interests in learning as well as helps provide an easier way to live for many. However, most of the time these recommended interests are manipulated by big corporations in order to turn a profit. Companies like Google, Facebook, and Amazon all have been known to collect and store the data of their users and sell it off to those wishing to make a profit off of certain demographics. This process of selling off data that should not be for sale is where threats to human culture are introduced, as it ignores human desire for inherent learning and instead focuses on the profit of one large corporation rather than the individual human’s interests. Another threat is the unwanted collection of data through our devices with built-in microphones listening and recording what we say for specific targeted ads. This may just be an anecdotal fallacy on my end but I have had the experience of my devices listening to me saying something completely out of the blue and then showing me ads related to that topic not 10 minutes later. This is a total breach of privacy as that is proof that devices are listening in carefully to hear exactly what you have to say at all hours of the day.
What are ways we can combat this? Well put simply, there needs to be restrictions in place on what data can and can’t be stored. There also needs to be laws and regulations in place that restrict companies from selling or trading customer or user information with other companies. With laws against trading as well as selling data will keep corporations from making a profit off of sharing data with each other, as well as keeping their users safe.