When it comes to the prospect of future IT technologies, the word “big data” is the word that has been cited the most and now feels rather cliché. As mobile technology and Internet of Things (IoT) technology are developed and various devices are increasing, and at the same time, people are producing and releasing various information in real time through social media, which is why many data are piling up to talk about “The era of big data”.
Big Data enthusiasts analyze these piles of data and appreciate the potential as a solution to solve many problems in our society and business. They use data to make better judgments than in the past, to make healthier lives, to make effective urban planning, to design better-selling products, and to create a safer society. The effectiveness of big data is not limited to businesses or government offices. Recently, the concept of “quantified self” has become widely known, starting with genetic information, a variety of services and apps have emerged that can help prevent diseases, make individuals sleep better, and also exercise weight control if they accumulate data on the various processes of their lives. There are also more extreme cases: the U.S. National Security Agency believes that collecting and analyzing data from all phone records can prevent terrorism.
There will certainly be a variety of examples or benefits that Big Data lauders talk about. By the way, nothing is always good. It is also important to be aware of possible side effects in the era of big data. If you can understand the side effects properly, it is easy to prepare. So, what specific side effects are there?
The first thing that comes to mind is the problem of privacy. Big data is eventually created by gathering information from countless devices and individuals. The data collected through these numerous sources is stored in a data center with robust security features, with computers, storage devices and environments that can be analyzed almost in real time as network and storage infrastructure costs become cheaper. We need to gather as much personal information as possible in order to analyze these data and each individual must be able to use a lot of personal information to get the information that is right for them through big data analysis. To reap the benefits of big data, as many people as possible must agree to take advantage of their private data rather than protect it. This is a kind of paradox: you can’t over-confirm your privacy to get data-based intelligent services, and on the other hand, you have to be prepared to be left out of the way to get the information you need instead of giving it as much as you can. You can’t benefit from the best big data analysis, while keeping the maximum privacy. Thus, big data-related service providers need to make efforts to find a balance between the use of big data at a level that is both commercially and socially valuable, with no major ethical and legally issues.
The second concern is the loss of individuality. Let’s put together a lot of people’s data and make various types of recommendations. Perhaps each individual’s decision could be affected by what is recommended by big data analysis. Facebook newsfeed, for example, analyzes individuals’ ‘likes’ and responses so that they can show as much information without bothering users, which seems convenient. But, in this case, the system’s decision prevents user from seeing the information without asking him. Newsfeed is still not that big problem. Purchasing products, service choices, and evaluating opinions are exposed by choosing only those that suit your preferences, and when they accumulate, the experience of being a little bit more personally disliked or unwilling than in the past is gone altogether. This can be quite a big problem. Already many people only look at the information that search engines choose, and consume only products that are rated high or presented to them customized. Wouldn’t this pose an inherent challenge to the “individuality” of his own choice? To exaggerate a little bit, we may be experiencing the beginning of the world of Gattaca, a film that scribbles his or her career through individual genes and determines everything. Being used to making easy decisions on recommendations by individuals, losing the ability to make their own personal choices isn’t just thought of as a flamboyant story in Science Fiction.
Finally, due to the nature of big data, concerns about the birth of Big Brothers such as big conglomerates and governments and their strengthening of control over ordinary citizens can be big side effects. Companies and public organizations that offer big data services are advised not to worry about such issues, but now it is completely unbelievable considering that data can also be great power. To solve these problems, we must now think about values and issues such as the democratization of data, free use of data, and the rights of citizens.
Nothing is so beautiful. This is the same for big data. If the future is too bright and is not properly prepared for possible side effects, it could create a backlash as big as the value and benefits big data creates. The best part is to be taken to the fullest, but the wisdom to respond properly to the problem is needed.