Big Data has positive and negative applications, aiming to reduce the frequency and intensity of these negative effects are key in maintaining stability to ensure these tools are used correctly. In class, we learned about some of the ways these negative effects have been limited. Here are a few examples:
GDPR and Legislation
Many ideas have surfaced about how to protect ourselves online. Unless it is fully implemented and acknowledged legally, little change will occur. The GDPR was introduced in 2016, and reformed data protection and privacy by ensuring data was being used for legitimate reasons and only when necessary. It gives people peace of mind when using the internet and reduces the risk of cyber attacks leaking valuable, sensitive information. The Data Protection Act of 2018 gives people the right to know how their data is being used, and gives transparency on what kind of information is being held. These strategies have prevented Big Data from being mishandled or used maliciously. Legislation is constantly being reviewed to keep up with the ever-changing digital world.
Anonymisation/Encryption
Anonymisation is a method of protecting individuals online. It means those generating data are more difficult to be traced or identified. This reduces the number of data leaks being used to target people individually for personal gain. This adds a layer of privacy, however it is not perfect. Cross referencing data can still identify people, and has flaws unless it is used with sufficient encryption. This is a technique that has been used since ancient times, however with the emergence of computers and Big Data it has grown more complex and advanced. It limits the access of data by encoding information and making it unreadable. It uses ciphers which makes it off limits to the general population, and can only be decrypted by certain people with a decryption key. Encryption played a crucial role in World War 2 where the Enigma system used by the Axis forces was able to be decrypted by the Allies, giving them a significant upper hand during the conflict! How cool is that? Authentication and other tools used for encryption have become a lot more powerful since then with the introduction of Big Data. This allows safety and privacy to be maintained and protects sensitive information.
References:
https://ilearn.fife.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=9751#section-12
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