Possible Hazards Of Using Big Data
- Ravi Namboori
- Mar 11, 2015
- 3 min read
Although IT industry is gung-ho about how big data will usher in a better quality of life globally, the way it is gathered and then interpreted may not take into consideration crucial portions of information, which could cause harm instead, says Ravi Namboori, a Cisco evangelist.
The biggest concern is about how government, industry and public at large may misconstrue the information they have.
The White House, on the other hand, is only looking at the brighter side of it, according to analysts, who aver that the predictive power of big data to bring in prosperity is being overestimated. They add that big data’s analytical capacity has its fair share of restrictions. Lack of data is better than its misuse is another point that is being raised by them. That by quantifying data you can solve all the ills ailing humankind is defective, they feel. Many case studies are being cited to prove how statistical tools cannot be the answer to the troubles of the world, adds Ravi Namboori, a former employee with Cisco.
The American Statistical Association has derided value-added modeling, saying it is a flawed assessment technique. Another critique against it is that such metrics only transfer more power into the hands of administrators, who overrate big data to cite modest achievements. The upshot is that many powers that be who advocate big data are unaware of the risks posed by it.
The major claim put forward by data advocates is that all data is good is being questioned by big data critics. That this also puts pressure on people gathering it does not seem to be crossing the mind of the men in charge.
CNN is quoted as saying that there are reports of employees of Amazon and Target being closely monitored at their workplaces. Both places are said to have evaluation procedures that are quantitative and centralized in nature, adds Ravi Namboori.
This practice is reportedly being embraced by verticals in retail and service sectors. This will lead to paranoia among employees of these sectors as they feel that their privacy is being compromised. The critics of big data also feel that its advocates are not realizing that this data is susceptible to being fudged. Most important issues pertaining to humanity cannot be realized through quantitative analysis. There are certain societal questions for which answers can be found only after factoring in various parameters. Here, subjective judgment overrides quantitative analytical methods.
Another danger, according to big data critics, is that prejudices and notions of certain decision makers and social researchers will make their way into predictive analysis. They are, thus, not only deceiving the public, but themselves too in the bargain, adds the Cisco evangelist.
These new found theories are too nebulous for economists to come to any convincing conclusions on various studies. This is all the more worrisome as a lot of quantitative metrics used in recent economic studies have proved to have had errors. Data cannot be quantified as it is intangible is a fact known to one and all.
For instance, benefits of consuming red wine have been contradicted by other medical teams which have conducted studies in sample surveys at different locations. Therefore, for us to arrive at a conclusive proof that big data can be a panacea for all issues relating to people globally would be tantamount to jumping the gun, concludes Ravi Namboori, a holder of seven Cisco certifications, citing people who view big data such a positive light.
Read More about the big data at the following related posts.
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