What compromises do we have to make here, and what risks from Big Data can this entail as employees, private individuals, or companies? In this article, we would like to show what chances we have to consider.
Risks Through Big Data
Infringement Of Privacy
The most significant risk and by far the most criticized point about big data is the invasion of people’s privacy. Companies that use and analyze people’s data can gain deep insights into people’s habits and personality traits. In addition, the privacy of those confidential data poses a significant risk.
Traceability
We inevitably leave a data trail behind us as we navigate the web. Cookies are examples of measuring devices that record our movements on the web. Which pages we visit, which products we view, or which order is stored here. However, at the end of that trial is us, the person who ultimately uses the Internet. By decoding and analyzing those traces by hackers or analysts, the human being is associated with the data, thereby losing anonymity.
Privacy
Data protection represents a significant risk of big data in connection with traceability. The topic of big data has increased in recent years. The countries must also adapt their data protection guidelines to today’s conditions in connection with this. To ensure the security and anonymity of citizens, people’s data must be kept inaccessible.
This is where the first problem arises when collecting data. It has become customary that users no longer have to give consent for companies to use their data in today’s world. Instead, customers must now issue refusals if they do not agree to such data use. In case of doubt, functions will even be denied due to this decision. The problem here is that the companies knowingly exploit the laziness and probably ignorance of the customers about the possibility of such rejection.
In some cases, not collecting data is next to impossible. As a result, there is a normalization of data collection in society. This leads to a perception of oppression and surveillance.
Hacker
Data is the new gold. Because of this fact, data is beautiful to any business. This stores the data in large databases distributed on many different servers worldwide. Wherever electronic systems and virtually stored data are available, the chance of being attacked by a hacker attack is also determined. Due to the data redundancy and distribution on many different servers, security against hackers is more complicated.
Unmanageability
Unmanageable is a risk of big data and big data analytics. Due to the vast amount of different data, it is almost impossible to achieve perfect results using an algorithm. Within a large amount of data, not all data is helpful for every use case and can thus change specific results. This can result in incorrect results, or correct patterns cannot be recognized.
This also involves the recognition of patterns where none exist. Incorrect connections between disparate data are a risk of big data analytics, leading to wrong conclusions and decisions.
Disadvantage
The disadvantage is the risk that big data can affect different areas. Competitive disadvantages, political disadvantages, or discrimination are some examples of this.
Especially in business, big data can cause significant disadvantages for smaller companies. Above all, they do not have the financial means to afford such analyses. As a result, competition in the market is shrinking enormously. As a result, the innovation of new products will also take a step backward. Due to the advantages of big data analytics for large companies, small companies may be squeezed out in some parts of the market, and monopolies are formed.
It also poses a significant risk in politics. This applies above all to politics in developing countries. The use of the Internet and mobile phones by the “privileged” can mean that when it comes to political decisions, they can have a strong influence on the bottom line. This leads to discrimination in those countries.
Also Read: Opportunities Through Big Data