Social Issues in Big Data Analysis
Big data has become a topic of interest to many. It is widespread, and this can be seen in the public sector. Many cities have decided to make data open so that residents can have access to statistics on various topics of concern like fire departments and water usage. Despite the progress in big data analysis, people continue to face social issues. It is recognized as incredibly valuable to make data available, but there is no clarity on how to make social data actionable (Hayashi, 2013). One of the problems that arise in this case is that data about social issues are difficult to manage because they are sometimes unstructured. There is poor data governance as well as data capture and storage. Moreover, there are times when curation is inconsistent which in turn makes it difficult for the transformation of data for analysis. In most cases. It is the public affected by social issues that arise from big data analysis. Social Issues in Big Data Analysis
Privacy breach stands out as the biggest social issues facing big data analysis. Privacy breach involves the release of peoples’ private information such that they are accessed by those who should not have access to it. Privacy breach whether mistakenly or deliberate it remains a social problem linked to big data analysis. According to Wielki (2015), a privacy breach can occur when a given organization has weak security measures to control its data. Hackers are the common persons linked to a privacy breach. Other social issues related to privacy breach include people having access to other people’s home addresses, emails as well as debit and credit card numbers which leave personal information are a risk. Social Issues in Big Data Analysis
Identity theft is another social issue linked to big data analysis. There are cases where some people would like to stay anonymous, and since big data is available in the public data set, they take advantage. People use other people’s data to identify themselves so that they can be anonymous when they interact with others (Wielki, 2015). Such cases of identity theft are linked to cases of fraud or cybercrimes which leave innocent people incriminated for no good reasons. Identity theft is on the rise, and it is motivated by big data analysis which has made it simple for criminals to have access to a lot of data.
E-discovery problems are on the rise, and this is a social concern because it indicates that peoples’ information is not safe or kept private. E-discovery is all about internet search of a person’s electronic data so that it can be used in a legal proceeding as evidence. Such is an indication that what people do in the social media are monitored, and they are not safe in case they commit criminal activities. Besides, electronic evidence is easier to search and collect as shown by Klostermann (2016) and this leaves many citizens at risk. Having access to a person’s electronic data has become easier since there is a lot of data with few legal restrictions. Social Issues in Big Data Analysis
Discrimination has become more prevalent because of big data analysis especially when tapped by people who do not mean good to a person or an organization. Having access to electronic information of other people is affecting the social status of many. For example, there are those who are negatively affected because they cannot be given a chance to secure loans based on information about them found online. Such people are discriminated against and not given an opportunity to justify such information. Discrimination is a rising social concern considering that it is best for people and organizations not to make decisions plainly by basing their evidence on electronic data (Klostermann, 2016). Not every piece of electronic information about someone is true, or at times they only present who a person was many years ago.
Aside from peoples’ data being collected without their consent and analyzed in organizations, big data analysis is considered to have much effect in the social sphere. Abusiveness of big data analysis is on the rise, and it stands out as a social concern. Many people are abusing their access to big data which in turn leads to issues of deep mistrust and control loss (Deng, 2016). Using big data for illegal purposes leaves many people in problems that they do not understand. It is not easy for people to keep check of the validity of results obtained from data analysis to make sure they look plausible. Many people misuse their access to big data by manipulating logarithms or data so that they can reach their desired results. Such cases are common with many companies which are trying to sell their name. Social Issues in Big Data Analysis
Having unequal access to big data is a social problem affecting many organizations. Most organizations cannot influence their customers because they do not have a starting position concerning the analysis of big data. There is a digital divide which creates inequality separating those who have online access and those who lack. Access to big data analysis further stands out as a social concern considering that it depends on an organizations capabilities. Those with limited access are disadvantaged. Social Issues in Big Data Analysis