2. Preamble
Deeply passionate about more productive discussion
Academic background in philosophy
Experiences with Big Data
Topic site to launch with book release
#ethicsofbigdata
www.ethicsofbigdata.com Twitter: @kordindex #ethicsofbigdata
3. Current State
A data architect and a product
manager (or two) walk into a
meeting…
Creepy? Yes, it is. No, it isn’t.
In the absence of a common
vocabulary and framework for
discussion, individuals revert to
their own moral codes
www.ethicsofbigdata.com Twitter: @kordindex #ethicsofbigdata
4. Future State
Creating a common vocabulary and
framework for productive discussion
(ethical inquiry)
Ethics of Big Data is about
understanding the influence of our
values on our actions.
Seeking a set of common values
Action in alignment with those values
www.ethicsofbigdata.com Twitter: @kordindex #ethicsofbigdata
5. Path Forward
Review key concepts in the book
Raise awareness and engagement
Intentional ethical inquiry
Explore a framework
» Four Aspects of Big Data Ethics
» Ethical Decision Points
» Values & Actions Alignment
» Value Personas
www.ethicsofbigdata.com Twitter: @kordindex #ethicsofbigdata
6. What Is This Big Data Thing?
Assuming familiarity
Some characteristics
Familiar examples
Volume, variety, velocity creates a “forcing function”
www.ethicsofbigdata.com Twitter: @kordindex #ethicsofbigdata
7. What Is This Ethics Thing?
Big Data is ethically neutral
Use of Big Data is not
Ethics is only one aspect
Abstract concepts, real implications
Ethical inquiry informs ethical action
Ethical principles informed by values
Aligning action with those values
www.ethicsofbigdata.com Twitter: @kordindex #ethicsofbigdata
8. Big Data’s Forcing Function
Pushing business operations
deeper into our lives
Changing common meanings
Value implications
9. Big Data’s Forcing Function
Volume, Variety, Velocity
The Supreme Court and Netflix
Data Exhaust/Ecosystem/Life stream
Meta-data
www.ethicsofbigdata.com Twitter: @kordindex #ethicsofbigdata
10. Anatomy of a Tweet
Place type
Verified Badge status
Number of favorites
Number of followers
Protected status
Country
Application used to Tweet
Author’s screen name
Author’s biography
www.ethicsofbigdata.com Twitter: @kordindex #ethicsofbigdata
11. Big Data’s Forcing Function
Imagine if Hemingway blogged, JFK tweeted, or Rosa
Parks was on Facebook
What will our grandchildren know about us that we didn’t
know about our grandparents?
Library of Congress
Political change (Egypt, SOPA)
Social change (location, interaction, communication)
Education, Healthcare, Weather
www.ethicsofbigdata.com Twitter: @kordindex #ethicsofbigdata
13. Balancing Risk and Innovation
Use the Force
» Acknowledge
» Frame
» Differentiate
» Engage
Frame Key Aspects
www.ethicsofbigdata.com Twitter: @kordindex #ethicsofbigdata
14. Four Aspects of Big Data Ethics
Identity
Privacy
Ownership
Reputation
15. Four Aspects of Big Data Ethics
Identity Privacy
Ownership Reputation
www.ethicsofbigdata.com Twitter: @kordindex #ethicsofbigdata
16. Four Aspects of Big Data Ethics
Identity
» Is offline existence identical to online existence?
Privacy
» Who should control access to data about you?
Ownership
» What does it mean to own data about ourselves?
Reputation
» How can we determine what is trust-worthy?
www.ethicsofbigdata.com Twitter: @kordindex #ethicsofbigdata
17. Identity Privacy
Identity Ownership Reputation
“Identity is prismatic”, Chris Poole
“Having two identities for yourself is an example of a
lack of integrity”, Mark Zuckerberg
Fred Wilson proposes “lightweight” online identity
New products and services launch
US Government proposes National Strategy for
Trusted Identities in Cyberspace
Google+ policy changes on pseudonyms
www.ethicsofbigdata.com Twitter: @kordindex #ethicsofbigdata
18. Identity Privacy
Privacy Ownership Reputation
“Data can be either useful or perfectly anonymous but
never both.” (Paul Ohm)
87% of Americans can be identified by three data
points: gender, birthdate, ZIP code
In last 12 months:
» Supreme Court ruled warrantless GPS tracking is unconstitutional
» Homeland Security tests crime prediction technology
» Zuckerberg declares “age of privacy” to be over
» New product and services launch based on privacy control
» O’Reilly publishes “Privacy and Big Data”
» Google streamlines 60+ privacy policies into one—generating
industry debate and Congressional inquiry
www.ethicsofbigdata.com Twitter: @kordindex #ethicsofbigdata
19. Identity Privacy
Ownership Ownership Reputation
Google website devoted to “liberating your data”
UK government proposes “personal identity data”
marketplace (a DC company does the same)
Doc Searls calls for an end to collecting customer data
World Economic Forum (WEF) describes personal data
as a “new economic asset class” (data as currency)
The Sierra Club sues Orange County for access to GIS
data
www.ethicsofbigdata.com Twitter: @kordindex #ethicsofbigdata
20. Identity Privacy
Reputation Ownership Reputation
Google+ policy changes on pseudonyms
“The Future of Reputation” (2007)
New products and services launch
“Reputation management”
Ongoing debate about reputation
» It’s alive: http://www.avc.com/a_vc/2010/03/how-to-defend-your-reputation.html
» It’s dead: http://techcrunch.com/2010/03/28/reputation-is-dead-its-time-to-overlook-our-indiscretions/
www.ethicsofbigdata.com Twitter: @kordindex #ethicsofbigdata
22. Current Practices: Buying & Selling
On the one hand…34 out of Fortune 50 companies
would NOT SELL personal data without consent
No policy stated they would sell personal data
On the other hand…11 out of Fortune 50 stated they
would BUY (or “obtain”) data from third parties
0 out of Fortune 50 stated they would NOT BUY
personal data
www.ethicsofbigdata.com Twitter: @kordindex #ethicsofbigdata
24. Ethical Decision Points
Ethical incoherence
Values and actions can be in conflict
“Don’t know what we don’t know”
Opportunity to align values and
actions to increase collaborative
innovation
Reduce value conflicts in Big Data
innovations
Comfort factor (reduced creepy)
www.ethicsofbigdata.com Twitter: @kordindex #ethicsofbigdata
25. Ethical Decision Points
Some real-world examples include:
» adding a new product feature
» policy development
» security breach
» designing new products/services
» opportunity to use or combine data in a new way
www.ethicsofbigdata.com Twitter: @kordindex #ethicsofbigdata
27. Values & Actions
Alignment
Benefits of alignment
Risks of misalignment
Value Personas
www.ethicsofbigdata.com Twitter: @kordindex #ethicsofbigdata
28. Values & Actions
You already know how to do this
Our values inform our actions all the time
We value lots of things
Ethical practice is an outcome of ethical inquiry
Ethical inquiry is an exploration of values
Values can be personified
www.ethicsofbigdata.com Twitter: @kordindex #ethicsofbigdata
29. Value Personas
Evolution of “user persona”
Articulate how specific values inform
specific actions in specific context
Aligns operational perspectives on
values & actions:
executives, managers, line staff
Designed in collaborative workshops
with cross-functional team
www.ethicsofbigdata.com Twitter: @kordindex #ethicsofbigdata
31. Common Themes
Big Data is:
» Ubiquitous
» Permanent
» Explicit
» Aggregated
www.ethicsofbigdata.com Twitter: @kordindex #ethicsofbigdata
32. Transparent Collaboration
Acknowledge the complexity at Ethical Decision Points
Be explicit with ethical discussions
Engage the nuance
Encourage “value talk”
Use Value Personas to help create a common
understanding & facilitate dialog
Seek alignment of values and actions
See Exact Target best practices
» http://subscribersrule.com/
» http://www.exacttarget.com/company/orange-culture.aspx
www.ethicsofbigdata.com Twitter: @kordindex #ethicsofbigdata
33. Transparency
If your data handling actions
were known today … would
they align with your values?
Your customer’s values?
34. Thank You!
Topic site: www.ethicsofbigdata.com
Blog: www.kordindex.com
Email: kord@28burnside.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/kordindex
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/korddavis
Ethics of Big Data (O’Reilly, March 2012):
http://shop.oreilly.com/product/0636920021872.do
All references will be provided in archived presentation.
www.ethicsofbigdata.com Twitter: @kordindex #ethicsofbigdata