Dangers of Centralized Profiles
“Almost all of the information about us can be tied to a centralized profile: our
devices, our software, our system configurations, all reveal unique clues that can be
mapped to other information that contains real identifiers like email address, name,
street address, etc.,” Golbeck says.
“That means, our grocery shopping history, our web browsing, our TV habits, and
what we say to smart devices can all be integrated.” And when companies have
that much data, she says they can use algorithms to produce new insights. Some of
these insights could be products or services that we might like.
“However, this information could also be used to determine whether or not we
should get a job or a mortgage or be admitted to a school,” Golbeck warns. “In
China, these types of attributes are being used in a social credit score that can
determine the speed of your at-home internet connection, what apartments you
can rent, which planes or trains you can travel on, and if you have access to loans.”
“The increasing use of big data analysis regarding U.S. consumers has been shown
to result in discrimination in employment, housing, healthcare, financial services
and opportunities, education, and even in the criminal justice system,” says Linda
Priebe, a U.S. EU Data Privacy/Protection, and Federal Relations lawyer with
Culhane Meadows in Washington, DC.
One problem that Bates sees in healthcare is that privacy takes a backseat to
innovation. “There is an explosion in the volume of data generated by connected
medical devices, EHR, smartwatches, and health apps,” he says, adding that the
data is then being mined and sold.“
And unless or until more regulation is introduced, Bates predicts that bias and
discrimination issues will continue to grow. “There needs to be more regulation of
data to protect individuals, organizations, countries, and ultimately, society as a
whole,” he says. “We must be able to trust that data will help us and not deliver
biased, inaccurate, or unfair outcomes.”