[LINK] SBS: The Age of Big Data

[Frank O'Connor]

Interesting article by Chris Duckett at: 

http://www.zdnet.com/nsa-activity-flips-the-security-equation-7000024796/?s_cid=e551&ttag=e551
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On 6 Jan 2014, at 11:57 pm, stephen at melbpc.org.au wrote:

> Bernard writes,
> 
>>> So if you visit ANY McDonalds carrying your Android phone, with free 
>>> WiFi turned on, then both McDonalds and Google will know. It's
>>> simplistic stats to know FOR SURE who visits, and when and what they
>>> buy. What idiot could not devise sure-fire business sales-plans from
>>> this absolutely hard data?
>> 
>> It's not necessarily hard data. There is an assumption that a person is 
>> linked with a particular phone.
> 
> Yes, accept your point Bernard. However, I said McDonalds AND Google. By
> this I mean one might expect Maccas to use a cloud. Odds on it's Googles?
> 
> And a Google Android phone is basically an open book to Google. Even the
> free Angry Birds Android app requires access to your contacts to install. 
> 
> With open access Google surely have a darn good idea who uses each phone.  
> 
> Quite a few of my texts to new contacts include my name for example. And
> Android does send and receive huge amounts of data in use. More than any
> other phone operating system. Mobile web pages are fairly much web pages. 
> So why does Google Android send/receive more data, if not data to Google?
> 
> http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/12/31/why-do-android-smartphones-guzzle-
> the-most-data/?_r=0
> 
> "In a recent study, Ericsson, the networking company, found that global 
> mobile Internet traffic varied greatly, depending on the software system 
> and the network that a phone uses.
> 
> But the highest average data consumption was seen on Android phones, which 
> consumed an average of 2.2 gigabytes of data a month on one network, the 
> study said. By contrast, iPhones used roughly 1.7 gigabytes a month and 
> Windows phones used approximately 1.4 gigabytes a month, Ericsson found.
> 
> Chetan Sharma, a telecom analyst who is a consultant for wireless carriers, 
> also has found that Android phones were the biggest data hogs. In the U.S. 
> high-end Android phones used about 4 gigabytes a month on average this 
> year, he said. That is well above the average of 1.2 gigabytes a month."
> 
> My point is, Maccas AND Google Cloud will very probably know who you are. 
> They might be wrong sometimes, but big picture, that's fairly irrelevant.
> 
> In future, Big Data working in cahoots? That's when privacy is in danger.
> 
> 
>>> The only issue is, how *granulated* personal bigdata is allowed to
>>> become.
>> 
>> Don't agree. That's one issue, the other is accuracy in relationship 
>> between the device being monitored and the person of interest.
>> 
>> Data do not always reflect reality. The only question is, by how much 
>> and is it relevant.
> 
> 
> With Maccas credit card info, and Googles open access, it's 99% certain
> who's in the store, surely? How creepy a text from Maccas after a visit
> offering a seriously personalized "would you like fries with that, when
> you come in Friday" text? And your car dealer offering a service before
> the road trip next week that your family just researched on Google? And
> a text from the government, complaining when you buy cigarettes/alcohol?
> Telstra offering another deal, after you investigate other mobile plans?
> Drug companies offering you generic alternatives for the pills you take?
> Safeway texting you a sale announcement for all the items you often buy? 
> Your bank warning that the holiday you've planned will be too expensive?
> 
> That's unregulated and granulated (with names, etc) big data. No thanks.
> 
> I don't care about spooks, I'm innocent. It's all the small, continuous, 
> and from everywhere stuff that will be creepy, without firm legislation.
> 
> Cheers,
> Stephen
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> 
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