In Discussion 4, I would like you to find one example of tended consequence of B
ID: 3830838 • Letter: I
Question
In Discussion 4, I would like you to find one example of tended consequence of Big Data analytics. Your example can be an experience of your own, a story from a news article, or a even or an even an example from a fictional source such as a book or film. Explain how Big Data was used in the situation you have chosen to relate and share your views on what happened. Please read the posts of others to ensure that you do not use the same example as anyone else. As always, in addition to your own post, you comment on at least two posts by your peers. Share your own views on their stories or build no what they have said. Do not simply reply that you agree.Explanation / Answer
The buzz word these days we hear are about BigData. Yes its useful to automate and enable computer to take decisions but it does have unintended consequences.
Before even the Q1 earnings of Twitter were officially published, BigData in real time along with inadequate security at there website helped the content
analytics company Selerity to pick up the Twitter earnings in a PDF and publish them on their website.
We often hear the personal information of individuals are being hacked by Hackers. Recently Yahoo accounts were hacked. This partly is due to the security lapse,
but the major contributor here is the BigData problem - ie allowing computer to make there own decisions.
This security lapse may seem very simple but the damage will not be small, when Twitter accounts were hacked, 18% shaved off the share price of Twitter amouting to
about a $5 billion dollar drop in valuation and millions changing hands for some investors.
This episode will pass but it will leave a blemish on Twitter's reputation and should lead them to take a closer look at how
they are managing data that is accessible publicly or meant to be secured.
Another example -
According to FTC (Federal Trade Commisssion) it would be a clear violation of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act to prohibit single women from applying
for a prime credit card. What is as a result of some algorithm, the only ads delivered to single women (even women who would qualify for the prime product)
are for subprime cards?
Blind following of anything could lead to big trouble.