The Case for Data Collection

Today’s discussions about data collection have focused on the risks to individuals, the potential misuse of data (especially for aggressive advertising), and other downsides. However, to have a meaningful conversation about data protection and data rights, it’s also important to consider the benefits of data collection. By understanding both sides, we can demand and regulate to push technology and data collection towards the benefits while still protecting against the downsides. This blog looks at a few of those benefits.

Let’s first look at the potential to help with mental health management and treatment. Data collected by Facebook has the potential to reveal when someone suffering from bipolar disorder is about to enter the manic phase. Zeynep Tufekci noted in a Ted Talk that this data could be used to unethically encourage impulse buys. However, another company is using the data for a different reason – to help those with bipolar disorder to manage their mental health. That is the purpose of SANE Bipolar App. Motherboard notes that this app will leverage the same data to warn people of a predicted upcoming manic phase and offer to notify someone who can help (ex: family, nurse). These data, that can be potentially dangerous, are being used to improve the health of people with bipolar disorder.

The benefits also extend into physical healthcare. Forbes looked at 5 ways that Artificial Intelligence, drawing on the data contained in patient records, was able to impact healthcare from reducing patient hospital stays by 21% post surgery to improving recognition (thus treatment) of cardiac arrests, even create savings of up to $18 Billion in the industry. The data driving these changes is incredibly private and needs to be protected accordingly. But when aggregated and used responsibility, it is helping improve our quality of life in very tangible and meaningful ways.

Data collection also improves one of our largest goals in many data discussions – better data protection. For an example, look at Microsoft’s Conditional Access feature (watch the “Microsoft Intelligent Security Graph” video from about 1:29). By aggregating data and looking at trends, companies like Microsoft are better able to identify anomalies and potential security threats – letting people react faster and better mitigate the threat. This means that their data can be protected more securely.

Through ways like these, it’s clear that data collection isn’t always bad or harmful. The judicious and responsible use of data can significantly improve quality of life in meaningful ways. As we continue the discussion on data and privacy, it’s important to keep in mind both the harmful and beneficial ways that data can be used, to come to a better informed solution that can protect the good and mitigate the bad.