[LINK] Big Data - bad or otherwise

[Janet Hawtin]

On 15 January 2014 18:43, <stephen at melbpc.org.au> wrote:

>
> The main issue imho appears to be, how granulated any big data regarding
> humans is allowed to remain. That is, big data with individual names, or
> phone numbers is very granulated. It allows an individual identification.
> And perhaps, as Bernard notes, incorrect conclusions regarding such folk,
> hence as Jan notes, unfair and incorrect, NSA no-fly list conditions. It
> will lead to unfair personal & group discrimination in all sorts of ways.
>
> Big data is *not* inherently bad in and of itself. It all depends on how
> secure and private those big data records are stored and handled, and if
> that big data is de-personalized. And finally how much respect generally
> is shown for the individual human statistics/datum that is the big data.
>

It is an investment looking for a return.
It is a magical word covering all kinds of data collection.
Climate data and personal health data are not the same thing
but now there is a term which paints them the same colour.
It just looks like we are selecting for dependence on mass investment in
data harvesting.