Question

Nowadays, most research investigating social networks is done based on big data collected
through sensors and other technical equipment connected directly to individuals (phone
applications, Bluetooth, localization, etc.).
This data includes parameters such as tone, pitch and volume of voice, length of information
exchange and conversation, gestures, body movement, physical proximity, and much more.
This data, when analyzed, reveals a lot about human behavior.
This data is valuable to organizations because it can help them identify causes of low
productivity, and thus, instore measures to raise productivity. At the same time, it is very
personal and sensitive data. There are clearly advantages and disadvantages to its use. What is
your opinion?

i would like to have severals opinion for a debate please

Answer 1

Answer:

The big data, reflected through the social media, mainly help various product marketers to understand the consumer behavior, their sentiments, their likes and dislikes, their weakness, their passion and so on. The captured data indeed the data is obviously not for all marketers, rather it may help certain type of products. Depending on data, it may also help any production system as well. Likewise, even government/administration can use the data for their purposes. The data, its effectiveness, its impact are extensive. There would be varied opinions indeed; and I would try to give my personal opinion on advantages and disadvantages both, covering different aspects of it.

Advantages:

• Being big data, it covers a significant majority of the society, which broadly represents the population. Successful strategies could be formulated based on the trends of such data.
• The big data captures the individual characteristics and gives opportunity to correlate the individual characteristics on a mass scale.
• The society is very complex; with each individual is unique form the others. However, various behaviors may be common for different sets of people, thereby categorization could be possible.
• The endless no. of products also represents various categories and each has their targeted set of perspective customers.
• The more the trends of big data are correctly captured and analyzed, the more it help to develop strategies to influence each categories of human behaviors.
• Capturing big data electronically is both fast and cost effective. Its processing through appropriate statistical methods, the data mining is also fast and efficient system.
• Other than big data, hardly there could be any other way to capture the human psychology on mass scale. The physical surveying is costly, much time taking and it cannot be applied on mass scale. Before the advent of electronically captured big data, the various consumer poles were of rudimentary kind and thereby highly limiting their reliability.
• Such data is also dynamic as the data are captured on real-time basis. Therefore any slightest change or any update is instantly reflected, that makes the database very much efficient to reflect the latest trends. In a fast changing world, any assessment must be done on the basis of latest information; otherwise there would be every chance to miss the opportunity.

Disadvantages:

• The biggest disadvantage is, it can invade the personal space of individuals. For such data, there is no thin line between the personal space and the social space.
• Such data have started to be developed mainly with the invent of smart phones. Now using the instrument for roughly 10-16 hours, can result in proximity with such data generation in different ways:

· Using social media sites

· Online voice and video calls

· Use of search engines

· GPS/Bluetooth proximity locator

· Online shopping and transactions

· Various online opinion poll

· Personal data validation for various online registrations

And so on…

The first four groups have high potential whereby any individuals’ sensitive personal information could be exposed. Because these options are used in subconscious mind, i.e. the mind does not be in alert stage always in total duration of such uses.

Therefore, apart from social trending (the social space - which anyone be ready to share normally) people tends to disclose a lot of personal details, which they would not have disclosed in conscious mind.

On the other hands, the last three types of data are generated in conscious mind, i.e. alert stage. Therefore, the chance of getting personal information reflected would be less.

There are unlimited prospective user of the big data, who can use the data (including the most confidential and most private information as well) to meet their goal. It could be a multinational company who want to explore its prospective customers, it could be Govt./administration who want to keep eye on each individual, it could be even hacker who want to steal information and physical assets. Whoever, it is but the most important aspect is, the personal data of an individual has become public and it’s no more private.

If the series of such private information are listed and any individual is asked to give opinion poll, then he or she would been astonished to find the quantum of such information and I’m sure it could be a shock for him/her. For example, I an interview I can clarify what I like to eat, where I love to go, etc. but living with a fear that at any point of time anyone can sneak into my private space, could be horrible. I’m sure anyone who is unknowingly have become a part of this system, would be shocked to understand this.

With big data, nothing is now private, what do I like, what do I wear, where do I go, what do I buy, how much do I spend and the list is unlimited. So if by giving permission to my app to record my voice, I should be aware that I could be tracked easily, because I do not speak all the time with deep thinking.

In nutshell the security of personal and sensitive information are neglected in such system and most of the people are not aware of the consequences. If there was conscious, then people might have used it in a different way.

Hope this would be helpful!