Big Data: Convenient and Controversial

In the past few years there have been a lot of discussions surrounding big data. These talks generally centered on the amazing opportunities that the technology provides. The byproduct of these discussions is that the use of big data can be somewhat scary and somewhat controversial.

Just think about it. Our preferences, our information, our engagements etc. – all contains data and it’s no longer unusual to find information that’s been gathered from us being used by organisations – whether it is a recruiter looking at your online footprint or a marketing agent contacting you – the one thing you can be sure about, is that they have some information from or about you.

In fact, just consider the online advertising industry – a sector that is built on the sort of technologies that mean once you’ve searched for goods or services on a search engine, you’re doomed to see related banners for the foreseeable future.

Certainly, these technologies can be useful, but they can also spoil a surprise (if your wife’s been looking for a birthday present for you on your home network, the subsequent ads will give the game away), or break up a family (if, say, someone has been secretly looking for certain types of ‘extracurricular’ activities).

So where does the line blur between convenient and inconvenient? And what about security? When it comes to securing personal data, the biggest problems are usually caused by a devil-may-care attitude to information, rather than technological failings.

Consider the example a few years ago, when the US retailer Target sent a discount coupon to a schoolgirl for products for pregnant and newborns based on an analysis of her purchases. This shocked the girl’s parents and, in fact, it turned out the retailer’s analysts had learned about the girl’s pregnancy even before she did! Additionally, one of the most interesting examples was last year’s scandal involving Uber, when the use of a shared account in a family led to divorce and a major claim against the app after the husband studied the history of his wife’s trips.

Now and then huge leaks happen and blunders on this scale are a blow to the very foundations of e-commerce but more importantly, each of these stories almost always has a company employee behind them (using big data) and it could be someone from your company.

If their actions lead to the collapse of someone’s family, to a very public scandal or a multi-million-dollar claim, it’s likely to end up being your problem. And a big one at that. So, this goes back to the question of big data and where that line is between convenience and controversial. More so, it points to the ethics of data and the need to develop the right culture of working with information – treating it with respect and care – rather than just a commodity.

Very importantly, it needs to be seen as information that needs to be protected.

Protection of personal data is critical, from a technology standpoint, and security needs to evolve together with threats. What’s more, a security solution needs to adapt to the requirements of your business – and these requirements change the more big data you obtain and store. However, working with big data and information goes beyond technologies that protect personal data.

Combating oversharing, awareness that any information has its value and price, double-checking and thinking carefully about what, how and to whom you may be disclosing or transmitting – should be the basic principles that companies implement within their larger big data strategy. Many companies are concerned about their physical assets (USB flash drives, laptops, paper documents), but are ignoring the risks to their digital assets, which is only set to grow.

So next time you’re searching on the Web or inputting your details into an online form or survey, just take cognisance of your digital footprint and the data trail you are leaving behind. Or for companies utilising the power of information and big data – don’t forget to ask yourself where that personal line to privacy needs to be drawn.

By Riaan Badenhorst, General Manager at Kaspersky Africa