[DRAFT] Big Problems for Big Data

[Loukinia]

Title:
Big Problems for Big Data

Description: After the prominent big data company @@NAME@@ Analytics was found to be using voter data to influence national elections, the scandal has engulfed both national and international news.

Option 1: “This is an outrage!” exclaims indignant citizen @@RANDOMNAME@@, who has made national headlines after demanding @@HIS@@ data back from the corporation. You can’t help but notice that @@HE@@ seems to be enjoying the media attention, perhaps more than appropriate. “The citizens of @@NAME@@ should have the right to ask for their data from any company that has it! Why should a faceless corporation know more about me than I do?” Suddenly, @@HE@@ abruptly stops talking to take a call from @@HIS@@ agent.

Fallout 1: citizens exhibit an extraordinary level of self-knowledge

Option 2: “Keep it down, keep it down!”, your Minister of Coverups frantically mutters, selling all @@HIS@@ shares in @@NAME@@ Analytics. “Listen, @@LEADER@@. We need damage control here! We’ll have to let @@NAME@@ Analytics go bust, but keep it as quiet as possible. If we manage to get this out of the public mind, then the rest of the industry can carry on as normal. Damage control, @@LEADER@@, damage control!” @@HE@@ whispers uncomfortably close to your ear.

Fallout 2: the government officially endorses anything as long as no-one finds out

Option 3: “Let’s take this a step further, @@LEADER@@,” smiles a man in dark sunglasses and a trenchcoat, stepping out from a dark corner of your office and picking up the confidential papers on your desk. “This technology holds massive potential for the nation, @@LEADER@@. Simply quietly absorb @@NAME@@ Analytics into a government department, and make sure they send all their data directly to you. You’ll never lose an election again!” With a mysterious smile, the man steps into the shadows and disappears, leaving you confused as to who he was anyway.

Fallout 3: the government knows exactly where you are at all times

[Trotterdam]

How are they using data to influence elections? Targeted ads at the most impressionable segment of the population? Outright electoral fraud by somehow editing the votes themselves? Blackmailing voters or politicians with embarassing secrets?

[Loukinia]

How are they using data to influence elections? Targeted ads at the most impressionable segment of the population? Outright electoral fraud by somehow editing the votes themselves? Blackmailing voters or politicians with embarassing secrets?

The first one, probably. Using voter data on personal preferences, online activity, etc. to target people with certain positions. This issue is based on the Cambridge Analytica scandal, so stuff like that.

[New Matzeratia]

What "voter data" is the issue referring to? It is just personal data (name, occupation, etc.) or political data, (voting records, political preferences).

Description: After the prominent big data company @@NAME@@ Analytics was found to be using voter data to influence national elections, the scandal has engulfed both national and international news.

I'm kinda missing the background on how the company got this data. Did they get it through government contracts or did they just unlawfully get it by hacking or something? If the latter is true, the government doesn't really need coverups coz the blame would be fully on the company.

Also I noticed a spelling mistake, no one (outcome 2) should not include a hyphem ;)

[Loukinia]

What "voter data" is the issue referring to? It is just personal data (name, occupation, etc.) or political data, (voting records, political preferences).

Description: After the prominent big data company @@NAME@@ Analytics was found to be using voter data to influence national elections, the scandal has engulfed both national and international news.

I'm kinda missing the background on how the company got this data. Did they get it through government contracts or did they just unlawfully get it by hacking or something? If the latter is true, the government doesn't really need coverups coz the blame would be fully on the company.

Also I noticed a spelling mistake, no one (outcome 2) should not include a hyphem

Thanks for the input! You’re right, I should probably clarify a few things. The data that the issue refers to is pretty varied, ranging from personal to things like browsing preferences, topics they’re interested in and even political opinions. They got the data from social media - cookies, browsing history. The social media companies sold the data to them so they could make recommendation algorithms and stuff like that. However here it turns out that they also took a contract from an election campaign to use the same data to influence the election. The government responsibility is basically lax restrictions.

Just to confirm, I am supposed to post the next draft on a new thread, yes?

[Fauxia]

No, please edit new drafts into the original post of this thread.

I'm not sure you're getting what Trotterdam's point was; nobody cares what the Got Issues subforum knows about how the company got the data. The player cares what @@LEADER@@ knows. Thus, the issue needs to be way more specific about what this corporation is doing and focus on that.

[Loukinia]

No, please edit new drafts into the original post of this thread.

I'm not sure you're getting what Trotterdam's point was; nobody cares what the Got Issues subforum knows about how the company got the data. The player cares what @@LEADER@@ knows. Thus, the issue needs to be way more specific about what this corporation is doing and focus on that.

Yeah, I got that. I will clarify more in the issue when I write the next draft. I was also posting an explanation in the forum to make sure my explanation makes sense. I wouldn’t want to write anything in the draft that i could have checked didn’t make sense