Big Data is an effective tool and has its uses. However, some of the effects have lasting impact on individuals. Here are some of the implications we learned about in class:
News sources
Unreliable news websites contain biased information or may be misinformed. This can be used to create fearmongering and generate a large number of clicks. Individuals may come across these sites in their spare time and become misinformed, especially young people who are impressionable as well as older people who aren't as familiar with technology. This directly targets people at the source, and makes it hard to distinguish true from false. This misleads people and spreads inaccurate information.
Digital Exclusion
This is a phenomenon in which certain people are unable to access technologies, typically affecting people with disabilities, the elderly, and those with poor finances. This means there are not as many opportunities available for these people, especially nowadays where everything is mostly online like job applications. Overall, this can result in limited access to educational materials, health services, and social interaction. This is not cool.
Lack of freedom
Being constantly monitored can induce a 'chilling effect' in which people act with less freedom. This is because they are aware their movements are being recorded. This can alter behaviour and people don't necessarily act as they would normally. People are limited in their choices and do not like to be restricted. The surge of Big Data over the years has accelerated so much that it tracks everything we do on a daily basis, our habits, it knows everything about us. This is daunting. As a result, everyone acts with a little bit more caution. It's weird to imagine what the world would look like today without the acceleration of Big Data and surveillance.
References:
https://ilearn.fife.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=9751#section-11
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