Big Data – Enhance or Invade

It is a tool, and it depends on how we use it. Access to data increases capacity, the ability to manage and read the data and use it for “good” or in this case, “freedom” is a choice, an ethical, legal, and cultural one. I see signs of a rise in awareness and consciousness in human beings, as individuals and as a society, this tells us that the choice will also go in that direction. I am not saying that there might not be a struggle in between. Germany

Big data collected by ERP IT systems are useful for answering the who, what, when, where questions. It’s the unethical, immoral data analytics that causes the problem. If machine sensors (mechanical, electrical) can help trigger anticipatory awareness and alert humans before a failure happens, then we will achieve more. Human-imposed rules attempt to manage the grey area of invasion of privacy and blocking freedoms. It’s an evolving process requiring safe-to-fail experimentation to find the right fit. Canada

It’s very good and difficult question. I’d prefer to separate it into three parts.  1. increasing of capacities: absolutely YES  2. BD & Invasion into privacy: absolutely YES  3. BD & Blocking freedom of action: BD itself can’t block something, but BD is an excellent tool for PEOPLE who want to block freedom. No doubt that some governments and corporations will use BD for it.  Armenia

Big data is going to help. It will cause job losses, but it will also create new jobs. Big data will give us more insights that we can use to better get things done. Always in combination with common sense, but I expect it to grow with respect for privacy. There will also be more knowledge and information about manipulation of data, and people will better protect themselves from it.  Netherlands

The big data could mean a big benefits and most of the people would easily exchange such benefits for their personal freedom as we can see in some parts of the world already (China). I am just thinking about the role of politics in such a process, because politics usually is not rational and therefore does not (want) to work with objective data. Czech Republic

To gain more benefits will require data integrity rules and consumer privacy regulations that are followed across national boundaries. United States

I think that we will see changes in how we live and do things, but from an overall level we will both achieve capacity while getting limitations and new problems. Sweden

As long as there is a framework in place and governance (ethical, legal…), big data should increase our capacities in the appropriate way to serve better achievement. The privacy question is already addressed in some countries (i.e. RGPD) even if it is not perfect. Depending on the political model of countries, there could be limitation and then blocking freedom of some population. France

It will definitely do both, but in Europe the GDPR legislation will hopefully minimize the negative impact.  Denmark

I can see both futures in big data, on balance I am slightly in favour of increased capacity, however this will only be realised if the right controls are in place on use of the technology (and this will not be in place universally – we can see examples of use of tech for surveillance and control across the globe) although this will be an ongoing tension between the optimistic academics and developers and the general population which often does not understand how the technology works nor what the weaknesses are before they start to use it. United Kingdom

Safeguards are needed but will act after the events, almost inevitably, as some events will not be anticipated. United Kingdom

It will do tasks that gives us the opportunity to be human again. Netherlands

There is a risk that the tradeoff will be some loss of freedom through losing control of our digital identities.  United States

This is all about tradeoffs, but the inevitable march towards increased capacities will continue. Some of that may be hampered by choosing to not participate or by regulations, but the cat is out of the bag on a lot of this.  The increased capacities may be capped because of other factors, though, such as the holders of the data (and the systems they control) making decisions for us or taking actions on our behalf. I suppose that is just another angle of the privacy issue.  United States

As even more areas of our lives become data driven it may seem that our lives become smoother (removal of friction) and fuller (more choices), but ultimately we will converge on paths dictated by algorithms we create (see: Kevin Roose – Machine Drift). Netherlands

Both – and this truly depends on just how far governments are allowed to go with this tech – see China of today for a taste of what tech-assisted invasion of privacy could look like globally. on the other hand, big data and AI advances will propel new industries and optimize older ones. United States

I went in the middle because there are a number of issues conflated in this question. Big data will increase capacities or at least potentials. yes. Privacy will be ‘invaded’ but i am unclear if younger people will see it as invasion or simply part of  a life value equation (i give up this but i get that). and freedom of action will be both blocked and freed. That is a bottom up & top down comment. some big data will be used as “do this” and some will be used as “use this”. Either will have impacts on human cognitive potential. United States

This is a 50:50 for me. The more data that is generated on us and the more advanced that technology becomes, the more exposed and vulnerable we are to it and the intentions of the companies who control that data. United Kingdom

We are at the early stage of big data application, an expansion phase, in which the benefits will outpace the damage. China

I think we will first experience 10 years of lag where policies and regulations will take a long time to become effective and for citizens and nations to become mature on the topic and impose the right drive. Then, as the maturity reaches a positive plateau, Big Data will increase our capacity. Along the way, a complete redefinition of data types will happen: our societies will define “useless or dumbing data” categories, whose collection and usage would typically tend to negatively impact wellbeing and progress, and we’ll therefore focus on harvesting the data that drives progress. United Arab Emirates

Big data will greatly advance our abilities to respond to a range of issues especially as technology advances to link data sets.  There will be issues and risks associated with this, however the increased value will outweigh the negative aspects – though there is likely to be a 5-10-year transition where society will be exposed to bad actors that are first movers in the big data space.  The flip side is it has the capacity to revolutionize education, policing, medical support , government policy on city developments and even improve transport.  Australia

There is a fair bit of hype around the power of Big Data, but the chances are that when we learn to use it intelligently, it will allow us to see useful patterns and provide actionable intelligence that could help us solve complex societal challenges. India

It will do both and lead to technological unemployment for lower-level workers in the long term. Ireland

Big data itself is not that important, it’s the Machine Learning (AI) that is going to exploit this. Netherlands

Depends on the field of work. Governmental organizations will fall behind. Netherlands

Big data will grow big data. Big data by its nature is an expensive game that can be played only by a very few.  Canada

Big data is yet another way that big business and those with lots of power seek to control the public. Whether in simple ways by selling us more things we don’t need to make more profit or as a way of directing debate. United Kingdom

Big data will not necessarily grow, but the technologies to analyze large amounts of data will improve and become widely available. Freedom will remain the same and is more dependent upon politics then technology. United States

I am not a fan of big data, seeing as how it is largely used to interfere and influence in negative fashions  (the 2016 US election documentaries taught us that). I believe it will bring more harm than good, as the operators of big data appear to be a select few.  Great power in the hands of a few is not a good recipe. Canada

We’re already seeing the effect of AI in terms of how it codifies biases, limits access to knowledge, inhibits learning and creativity. Data is historic: it forces us to look backwards. United Kingdom

Data is so valuable, but bad big data gets us nowhere. Moving toward even more bad big data will not move the needle or make any changes unless we move toward predictive rather than just looking back. Though that brings the dangers of say predicting someone will commit a crime before they actually do, and then they are arrested because an algorithm said they were “bad.” Unfortunately no easy solution. Austria

Privacy will no longer exist as a right, mostly driven by capitalism surveillance taking over watching every single one of our moves, whether at the workplace, or in our personal, private lives. European Union

Both. Will increase capacity but with a social cost. People willing to give up their privacy in exchange of compensation. Brazil

We have already given up our privacy in return for conveniences. Google knows where I live, what I own and what I like. India

I think it will be like the introduction of Facebook – it will increase our capacities, while also invading our privacy – many will walk into this with their eyes open for a time, accepting the benefits without truly embracing the ‘terms and conditions’ as it were.  United Kingdom

This is a very fine line. We want to grow and learn more, but it shouldn’t be at the cost of personal privacy. We tend to be moving in that direction and that is scary. United States

Massive invasion of privacy. I foresee a huge backlash against invasive use of technology in our daily life. There will be conflict. India

Big data will most likely kill us. Sweden

Gathering of data is already a big issue. I think fundamentally we missed the opportunity 20yrs ago to protect ourselves. The fact that we have attention capitalism economy will have to change. We are not going to survive this as humans. Netherlands

This needs to become a societal awareness topic. United Kingdom

Our capacity for learning from big data is unknown .. it could be huge but privacy breaches, hackers and stupidity of people in being conned will limit us until education comes to the fore. Australia

An education piece is needed as society generally is very wary following a series of data leaks to provide information.  At the same time, more and more is being collected supporting the increased capacity. Australia

It will be determined by our moral and spiritual capacity to engage effectively with tech – there is need for harmony. South Africa

I hate to be in the middle, but I think both will happen.  Big Data is driving phenomenal insights, but in the process we are insidiously manipulated through Persuasive Technology of the micro and mass media.  Even being fully alert to the problem I am amazed at how easy it is to be fooled by the communications I am inundated with. United States