［DATA 2］Privacy in the age of big data

The age of big data is coming, but the privacy seems not safe enough. Especially, after Edward Snowden secreting the plan of Prism, it seems normal that citizen information is wiretapped. And almost 2,000 Vodafone customers ‘open to fraud'(BBC news,2015)That is not optimistic situation. Therefore, is big data would kill the privacy? How could people protect the personal information?

There is no doubt that we have lots of benefits in the age of big data. However, while consumers enjoy more personalize service, they are transitioning with their personal information. Your accounting, address,personal details are staying in “box”of companies. Once they are leaked or known by bad guys, what will happened? More people have high vigilance of their personal information. Thus, it is necessary to define what is the privacy and which information benefit the business?

One way of categorizing all concepts of privacy is by considering all discussions as one of these concepts(solove,2008):

  1. The right to be let alone
  2. the option to limit the access others have to one’s personal information
  3. secrecy or the option to conceal any information from others
  4. control over others’ use of information about oneself
  5. the idea of personhood
  6. protection of  intimate relationships

It seems that not all these information interest marketers. What marketers interest is that what consumers like, they can dig out business opportunities from analyzing actions or data which involves some personal information. “The importance of analytics at this stage is to interpret as best you can, the information available to improve the products and services , to maximize the value for customers .”That is to say, the more marketers understand what customers chase, the more “reasonable” products and service they could offer. And markets do not interest your privacy photos which would not bring profits.

For example,

I like playing basketball, I make a lot of friends who have the same hobbies in the community of Internet
I like to share my knowledge in the in the Internet, I have my own value.
I like makeup, I use it on the Internet to teach courses
I was gay, I found my true love in a particular community of Internet.
These are the leaks of privacy, your hobbies, knowledge, skills, and personal life.But these things are benefit to you rather than “hurt” you.

Also, as the marketers are familiar with you preference..they will establish a community for sharing your basketball experience and have some ads with it. You got what you want, it’s a win-win situation.

Which kind of privacy matter you? your address,your bank code ,your current account ,your privacy photo,your idea..

But why does privacy have more meaningful than these? why does it really matter?  And what could we do to protect them?

see you in next blog!

Information Privacy on computer keyboard background

Information Privacy on computer keyboard background

10 thoughts on “［DATA 2］Privacy in the age of big data”

  1. Personal details leaking within the transaction of online or offline business is limited. I don’t think that will cause any personal offense, unless uncaution of leaking important informations like password of bank account occurred. So, in most scenario, data stimulating business growth, why not progress in the digital era.

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  2. Sorry to say I quite disagree with you. I think is personal data should still be private. I don’t think it will always be win-win situation. Like you have mentioned, if you are gay, the product that will come up to your screen will be something relate to your preferences, search histories. But if you dont want to tell anyone you are gay. You wanna keep it as a top secret. The best example is Yotube. I borrow my friend’s ipad. I know that he has watched a porn from the vdo suggestion which he doesn’t want to tell anyone. Therefore, marketers should weigh how to use consumer data appropriately otherwise will feel that they are intruded.

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    • i agree with you, once you post your life in facebook,you are watched by someone you don’t know. Knowing what you interested,how old are you, where do you live,

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  3. It is a true that people are able to benefit from big data. However, as a customer, what really bothers me is that I have no idea about what is the purpose of gathering my private data. I think we have the right to know what sorts do data has been collected and what marketers do with our data.

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  4. Privacy is a hot topic in recent years. In fact, more and more consumers realize that they are tracked on website and their information are shared without permission. In this case, some companies figure out many ways to protect consumers’ private information in oder to build a reliable company image even though they do not really care about privacy. For example, as a marketer we can let consumers manage their information and decide which information they do not care sharing. When consumers install apps on mobile phones ,they need right to choose whether being tracked or not. But actually when we install some apps, we do not have “No” choice. If we dont agree with privacy items, we cannot install apps anymore. I think this is one of bugs which marketers and designers should improve.

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