Strategies For Limiting the Negative Effects of Big Data

Big Data offers incredible potential to impact many areas of society and as discussed in my previous posts, big impacts for individuals. But how do we ensure Big Data brings solutions and innovations and balance the impacts on privacy and democracy?

One way that society can place crucial safeguards on Big Data is through legislation. The UK’s Data Protection Act and the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) are two examples of this kind of regulation.

These regulations empower individuals by giving them more rights and control over their personal data. They enforce principles such as:

·         Ensuring data is collected only for specific reasons.

·         Minimising what data can be collected ensuring only necessary data is collected

·         Ensuring data is correct and up to date

·         Requiring data handlers to protect individuals’ data from data breaches

Both the Data Protection Act and the GDPR grants individuals the right to access their data, correct inaccuracies, and even the “right to be forgotten”. This is vital for giving power back to individuals over the companies that collect their data.

These legislations act as a framework for reasonable innovation, pushing organisations to prioritise privacy and security. They place safeguards on Big Data technologies to ensure they serve society ethically without eroding our fundamental rights to privacy.

https://www.bhbia.org.uk/assets/Downloads/Guidelines/13_big_data_aug2020_fv.PDF


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