The world is turning into a data-driven society and data has become the world’s most valuable commodity — the oil of the digital era (ref. Economist). Everything is quantified or about to be. Personal data is becoming more sensitive and we are more vulnerable than ever before. Now it’s time to reclaim, own and manage personal data.
Just basic phone logs can indicate depression; no need for a smart phone. The personal information that your smartphone can collect about you can tell much more and is increasingly detailed.
A like on social networks reveals more than first appears and a shared photo is more than just a photo. Researchers have demonstrated that if you like curly fries, chances are that you’re of above average intelligence; if you like bikes, it’s the opposite (Independent; PNAS).
Tinder knows your sexual preferences, Amazon knows what you talk about at home, Facebook what you believe and Google what you’re about to buy. IBM needs only 200 tweets to break down personality into 50 different traits (Venture Beat) — that was three years ago. The mission is to know as much as possible about you before and better than you know yourself. Predictive is the buzzword.
Connected fitness and health devices are giving unprecedented insights into an individual’s health and well-being — stress, emotions, habits. Smart homes will tell when you eat, sleep or have sex; Fitbit can accidentally determine pregnancy (USA Today). A network of smart cars will continuously scan their environment, not just for other cars, but also for body language. You can identify someone by the way they walk.
The next frontier are brainwaves (EEG) headsets which are expected to become mainstream within 5–10 years. Yes, somebody is going to record your brain waves and profile you. Facebook have confirmed that they are already working on 8 different mind-reading technologies (The Guardian). Neuro-ethicists are already advocating for new human rights — the right to cognitive liberty, the right to mental privacy, the right to mental integrity, and the right to psychological continuity (Springer).
Habits make up almost 50% of our daily decisions (HBR) and various studies have shown that even small bits of personal data provide a detailed and comprehensive insight into an individual’s habits and lifestyle — habit formation is a marketer’s holy grail. When did you think about opening Facebook or did it just open right in front of you? Well, it didn’t happen by accident.
Humans forget, computers don’t. The talkative digital trail we are already leaving now — without being aware of it — will only be expanded, more detailed and more actionable. We lock doors but leave access to the mind wide open.
There is an invisible battle happening, the battle for your mind and personal liberty where we are constantly profiled for weak spots and impulses. The internet has been weaponized, data is ammunition and we are all going to suffer if we don’t act now. It has already started. In the future, we will be by default recommended or black-listed by algorithms which sort through our data. Your job, credit score, spouse, house. Just a number.
Companies like Cambridge Analytica are targeting all of us with divisive hyper-targeted articles so that we live in bubbles and can’t even conceptualise anything outside it. In 2016, Cambridge Analytica had two major clients — Brexit and Trump (FT). They won both times and currently they are being investigated by US Congress (Salte). Big data based on personal data is the new king maker and it’s just the start of things to come. A brave new world in the making.
In the digital age, freedom begins with truly owning your personal data
We all generate data. It is beyond our choice. However, we don’t own it, we don’t know what it is used for and others are monetising it. A solution is needed which steers towards an equilibrium where data can benefit individuals, corporations and society at large while the rights and privacy of the individual are respected. Moreover, personal data ownership enables bottom-up and fair distribution of value which in turn can start generating a passive income — a step closer to universal basic income.
This is why we are building Datafund, a decentralised personal data exchange. In the next blog posts we will explain how to become more aware about the power and value of personal data, how Datafund can help protect individuals and their rights, how companies in EU will need to comply and how we see a win-win solution for all stakeholders — people, organisations and society at large.
Let us proceed together apace.
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