There is a moral debate out there. It is new but is growing as fast as a Tsunami wave: The Fair use of Data.
Data has become probably the most potent instrument that has ever existed in Humanity. Unfortunately, it is quickly being misused and utilized for, let’s say, not so reasonable causes.
The Netflix documentary “The Great Hack” dramatized and possibly exaggerated the control that Big Tech companies have over massive population groups.
Official Trailer of the Documentary “The Great Hack”
But it served for many as a wake-up call. Every day, more and more people/consumers ask questions like:
- What are companies doing with my data?
- How did they get my email?
- Why do I receive so many spam calls?
- Is it a coincidence that I spoke about something and then I saw an ad about it?
Data is already an expensive good for trade, and the mindblowing investment that companies are making in AI and other predictive tools is very telling.
Is there any Regulation around Data and its Ethical use?
GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) in Europe and the different Data Privacy Acts in other Countries are regulations trying to address the issue by putting the data back in control of the owner. Still, the line between consent and data misuse is very thin, almost invisible, and big tech companies do not make it easy to understand what happens to our data when we sign up for their services or products.
Enforcement of these laws among billions of companies is a complicated task, so the institutions have punished a few big corps with fines to serve as an example.
Still, GDPR and similars are in their infancy, and they need time to settle and reach the deep of our society.
Let’s face it; we live in the Wild Wild West of Data, which will probably worsen before it gets better.
Recent cases of Unethical Use of Data
US Election Manipulation
The most known case. Using controversial practices, Cambridge Analytica profiled Facebook users to push them to vote for one political party.
Dubious data-driven Marketing
Loan companies use vast amounts of data to identify people with solvency problems to then offer them a personal loan with exorbitant fees and rates.
ATS Algorithms
Applicant Tracking Systems are robots deciding if you are qualified for a particular job. These algorithms determine who makes it, but it is broadly unknown how they operate. There have been several cases of sex and gender bias. 95% of Fortune 500 use applicant tracking software for their hiring.
(War) Robots
If you follow tech news, and even if you don’t, you have probably seen one of the Boston Dynamics cyborgs in action. All of them are fed by a significant amount of data and governed by machine learning algorithms. So far, they are used for exploratory missions, but it is about time that they take part in combat. Is it ethical to use these robots against humans?
But, how do people feel about the use of their data?
The interest in our own generated data and privacy is increasing in the last years.
To the point that is today one more element of brand trust.
Raising visible concerns in consumers
Not everything is Evil: Examples of honest and fair data practices
Although data discrimination and inequality is growing due to the automation of decisions humans previously made, we must not forget that are many legit and incredible social uses of data. Some examples are:
Health Diagnostics
AI-equipped diagnosis systems can now detect cancer and other diseases at much earlier stages, even recommending the proper treatment.
Autonomous cars
With time, will make mortality in the road a marginal number.
Virus Spread
Without entering in much detail, use cases like the COVID-19 spread rate and reopenings after lockdowns have been much more accurate thanks to data. Not to mention the millions of lives saved.
(Cool) Robots
Those same robots that can combat can also enter dangerous places to save lives, fight a fire or even perform surgery with the maximum precision.
You can see some other ethical uses of AI on the World Economic Forum website.
How to Ethically use Data for Businesses
Ethics, as a broader term, are part of a company’s culture, and so must happen with data and analytics:
- The company code of conduct must include a section for the ethical use of data. That includes re-thinking unrealistic goals that push decision-makers towards unlawful data applications in the name of business growth.
- HR departments must include continuous training to reduce security and privacy risks in their organizations and detect potential abuses created by AI.
At the regulatory level, as Cathy O’Neil stated in the Documentary film “Coded Bias”, there is a need to have frameworks and regulations that check for algorithm bias and data discrimination.
Conclusion
As with any new societal “problem”, there is a long way to go. There is an extra moral responsibility to uphold fairness for all of us involved in using data to make money (Business Analytics).
Today, discrimination and harassment with unethical use of data are feasible, and it could likely become common.
Pioneers like Joy Buolamwini and her Algorithmic Justice League are paving the road to more fair use of Data for our civilization’s greater good, but it is in all of us to take action.
What about you:
- Do you care about how your data is used?
- Have you suffered from any form of data discrimination?
- Is your company using data ethically?
