I think big data and data analytics has two sides, and it is really dependent on your own personal role in life to which side you align with. For me I see potential benefits with the use of data analytics and the potential for better technology in the medical industry. One of the videos from the textbook highlighted new possibilities for data and how it can be used to improve people’s ability to track their health. This type of technology uses data to tell a person what their health is looking like now and warns them of potential changes that could affect them. In my opinion this type of technology would be amazing for the health of people in our world. It would also give health care workers more information to go off of when treating patients. This same situation can be applied to things outside of medicine, and are potentially more harmful. The ability to track ones future choices with a set of data would change lots of things.
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I personally see a lot of benefits with the algorithms that show me what I want to see on the web. I can simply look at my YouTube homepage and I am given many things of interest. Because this makes it easier for me, I like it.
I am not sure that we will ever be able to make something that solely has a role of improving lives. Someone will always use it for their own gain rather than others. We discussed much of this today during class, where digital technology made for one things is almost always used in a way it was not directed for, and ends up threatening other users in some way. An example of this is the use of Youtube for monetary gain that takes advantage of children’s viewing habits to make money.
But I think that humans will always need to be involved if we want to make sure these digital technologies work to help people. Maybe people will have to oversee these algorithms and kind of keep them in check. Reporting on uses and if things are actually being used to improve lives rather than gain off of them.