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Elijah Paulman

L. Cook

ENG 1201

March 28, 2021

Why should companies be allowed or denied the ability to collect big data on their users?

Is your confidential data safe online? Do you know what happens to your data if it is

collected? Do you know if your data is being collected? For years, companies have been

collecting user data. This data is then analyzed and used, often to influence you, or it is sold for

profit. These, along with many added reasons, contribute to the defining idea that companies

should be denied the ability to collect big data on their users to protect the personal information

and data of the user.

Before the internet, it was hard to collect data from average citizens. People had to take

part in studies or other methods and have their information and data knowingly and consciously

collected. With the creation of the internet, it became easy for companies to collect, use, and sell

data on their users are undenounced to them. This raised and continues to raise many concerns,

most importantly, privacy. Even considering these concerns, data collection includes some

benefits, such as use for research questions, important studies, and better, more personalized ad

targeting online. Marc Zuckerberg discusses the collection of data and the realization that people

are having about data collection. When people do things online or click certain elements, there

are affects and other things happening. Zuckerberg says that “there seems to be all this stuff

happening to that data, and people are starting to see the results of it.” (Big data, big worry:
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privacy fears on the rise). Whether these results be good or bad, they are still happening, and
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they can have big consequences or benefits.

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Fig 1. These charts show the percent of Americans who believe they can go through daily

life without having their online data collected (Auxier, Rainie, Anderson, Perrin, Kumar, and

Turner).

One of the most prominent concerns over the collection of big data seems to be that of

privacy. Many people feel that data collection invades their sense of privacy, especially when

data is collected unknowingly or without permission. One study found that, “roughly six-in-ten

U.S. adults say they do not think it is possible to go through daily life without having data
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collected about them by companies or the government” (Auxier, Rainie, Anderson, Perrin,

Kumar, and Turner). This study proved and continues to prove that people feel and can sense

their lack of privacy online. With phones becoming a near necessity, there are more opportunities

for companies and even the government to collect information. Most people have not only

phones but also computers, tablets, and even TVs and fridges that can have data collected. This

study appeals to all people and relates to them that everyone is vulnerable. It also shows how our

own opinions on data collection relate to others like us.

Privacy is a major threat to those who use online services. When your data is collected, it

is analyzed to be used in a meaningful way. The more data that can be collected on a certain

subject, the easier it becomes to connect the dots and analyze users and their thoughts and

actions. This in turn can influence you to do things such as buy products, use certain services,

believe certain things, and even convince you to vote for certain people during an election. Data

can cause major change. Using psychological marketing and persuasion, big data can be useful

yet dangerous when used to its full potential. Companies may do all this without the end user

even knowing it is their data being used and collected.

While a lack of privacy may sound concerning, there are certain benefits to collecting

data such as counterterrorism efforts. Using innovative technology, data can be analyzed and

used to stop terrorism. To do this, messages, posts, emails, calls, texts, and other online activities

are automatically analyzed and anything out of the ordinary is flagged. The process is described

by explaining how, “Anomaly detection programs, for instance, scan online activity looking for

suspicious posts or events that do not fit into ordinary behavior patterns” (Big Data and US

National Security). Through data collection, we can detect future terrorist activity or even things

as simple as credit card theft or use. This article brings to light the fact that analyzing data can
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prove useful and even save lives. Many and even most acts of terrorism involve some sort of

technology and being able to detect and prevent this could save many lives. If we had the

technology and means to save lives this way, we may have been able to prevent major acts of

terrorism such as shootings, robberies, and possibly even the September 11 attacks.

Even though we can stop terrorism with data collection, the concern persists that personal

information and data must be collected to do so. When law enforcement or other organizations

analyze text messages, permission is usually not given to do so. The privacy of the individual

must be invaded to get the data we need. Some might say that is a small price to pay for the

saving of lives. While this may ring true for some, there must be a limit to what can be done

ethically and properly and what cannot. Confidential data should not be accessible even if it is

suspected to be associated with crime or dangerous activities. The user should still have to give

permission to access their data unless otherwise permission is granted by law enforcement.

Ethics presents another area of debate in data collection. It is important to collect big data

ethically. No one wants their confidential information being secretly collected. When data is

collected, there needs to be an awareness by the source the data is being collected from. Two

documents called the Belmont Report and the Declaration of Helsinki discuss and guide on the

topic of research ethics. These documents highlight important matters in collecting data such as

fair participant selection, acknowledgment of participation, the need to minimize harm, and the

need to obtain informed consent (Favaretto). If data is going to be collected, there should be

certain rules and ethics followed. While there is a “recommendation” by the FTC to notify

consumers of data collection being done by businesses, there is no requirement by law. This

poses a major discussion on ethics and what companies should do, versus what they can and

often do. Companies must be under rules and regulations. Just as though students are held
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accountable by schools for their actions on social media, companies and even our own

government, need to be held accountable for their actions.

One of the main threats of big data pertains to simple security. As time goes on, the threat

increases due to an increasing volume of data available. More valuable information is being

stored online such as banking information. Due to the extreme volume of data, big data

architectures must be put into use. Doing this has supplied a better opportunity for the access of

data, in addition to the ability to better examine and analyze a higher quality of data. These data

architectures are important and necessary but bring with them the risk of security threats and the

endangerment of user data. This data which often holds sensitive information, may be collected

or stolen with no awareness to the user (Alvarez, Yigliana, Angel Leguizamón-Páez, Miguel, and

Londoño, Tania J). Many people feel they are safe online, however, it is exceedingly difficult to

not have your data collected.

Security is not only a threat to data online but also pertains to issues with the Internet of

Things (physical objects linked to the internet). There are many common objects in your home

that collect and store information, even some fridges are linked to the internet. Many applications

that are linked to the Internet of Things request sensitive information from the user such as their

name, date of birth, gender, address, and even payment information in certain scenarios. This

information is often stored in the cloud where it can be accessed and manipulated by third parties

easily. This creates a dangerous security threat and exposes user data (Alvarez, Yigliana, Angel

Leguizamón-Páez, Miguel, and Londoño, Tania J).

With a strong majority of people using cloud storage, and inputting their data online, the

population is more vulnerable than ever before. Cloud storage supplies the opportunity to access
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data from anywhere in the world. This exposes data to anyone with a computer and the skills to

infiltrate a database. When data is unknowingly collected and stored in a cloud database,

sensitive and classified information is unnecessarily put at risk. Companies should have to ask

for permission to collect data especially if it is to be stored in a cloud. Currently, there are no

laws requiring permission to obtain data online which is why companies should simply be denied

the ability to collect user data.

Many might try to argue that legislation should be passed to solve this problem. While

this is a guaranteed solution and likely the best choice, it is a difficult feat to achieve. With so

much support, assets, and income for large companies, it is hard for smaller groups of individuals

and organizations to challenge them and get legislation passed. There have been many failed

attempts to pass legislation, but none have had the hopefully outcome wanted by many. Since

there are laws on violations of privacy in the real world, there should also be laws on privacy

online. The online world is not so different from the real world and there still needs to be

legislation put in place to control the actions of others online. Companies, corporations, and the

government need to be held accountable for their actions. People should not have to worry when

browsing Facebook and looking at baby pictures that companies may be selling and profiting

from their private and sensitive data.

Not limited to stopping terrorism and crime, data collection also has added benefits. The

collection of data allows companies to target ads, offer lowering pricing, and promote their own

companies. For example, Amazon can offer specific ads for you to help you discover new

products that can make your life easier and better! Some companies are even able to offer lower

prices with these ads. By showing ads online, companies sell more products and can offer these

lower prices. The larger the number of products being bought, the lower the price that can be
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offered. This in turn helps consumers and the company mutually. These sound like great

benefits, but people must consider the risk of saving money and discovering new products

compared to their data potentially being at risk.

Another major benefit to the collection of data involves healthcare. Using data collected

and analyzed for healthcare benefits has supplied results such as more effective diagnostics,

improved medical imaging, better health tracking, and prevented human error. The main

challenge associated with collecting healthcare data pertains to ethics and laws specifically with

patient confidentiality. Despite the many challenges in collecting healthcare data, innovative

technology has allowed a surplus of healthcare data to be converted and analyzed into beneficial,

useful information (NEJM Catalyst). By collecting data on medical patients, the understanding of

diseases, injuries, and illnesses can be sharpened and refined to supply better medical care for

future patients. Not only does data collection supply medical benefits, but it also reduces the cost

of healthcare. Medical based healthcare is now being applied and helps medical professionals

make better financial decisions and improve patient care.

Allowing companies to collect data on users could be beneficial to yourself as well as

others but it comes with a risk. Your data could be used or sold in ways you might not have

foreseen. The user must think about the benefits and detriments of allowing their data to be

collected. A study by Pew Research presented remarkably interesting results. These included that

around 81% of American adults think the risks of data collection outweigh the benefits with only

72% believing they personally benefit from data collection. These results also said that around

66% of Americans think that the government collects data on them (Auxier, Rainie, Anderson,

Perrin, Kumar, and Turner).

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Fig 2. This graph shows the number of people who say data collection is or is not

acceptable by certain organizations, companies, or the government (Auxier, Rainie, Anderson,

Perrin, Kumar, and Turner).

In reference to the above graph and above paragraph, it is proven that there are mixed

feelings about the collection of data. These diverse feelings relate to who is collecting the data

and why they are collecting the data. Schools, the government, and DNA testing companies seem

to have the most acceptable votes with schools being the leader. Many people would sacrifice

their data for the betterment of education. Especially when they understand that this can benefit

children for generations to come. Fitness tracking apps, social media companies, and smart

speakers all have the most not acceptable votes with smart speakers being the leader. The main

reason for this is likely that the consumer receives little to no benefit for their data being
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collected. Most of the time, these companies are looking to profit off the user data they collect

instead of applying it to the betterment of the general population.

In summary, data collection has many benefits and downfalls. Crime prevention, the

bettering of schools, and medical advancements are amazing things but may come with major

downfalls. Along with the collection of data, users may be giving up their valuable, confidential,

and sensitive information all without giving permission for the collector to do so. Data collection

comes with the paramount argument of ethics and understanding which will likely not be

dissolved until legislation is put in place. Therefore, for the time being, companies should be

denied the ability to collect data on their users.

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Works Cited

Alvarez, Yigliana, Angel Leguizamón-Páez, Miguel, and Londoño, Tania J.” Risks and security
solutions existing in the Internet of things (IoT) in relation to Big Data.” Ingeniería y
Competitividad. ene2021, Vol. 23 Issue 1, p1-13. 13p. EBSCOhost.

Auxier, B., Rainie, L., Anderson, M., Perrin, A., Kumar, M., & Turner, E. (2019, November 15).
Americans and privacy: Concerned, confused and Feeling lack of control over their
personal information. Retrieved March 07, 2021, from
https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2019/11/15/americans-and-privacy-concerned-
confused-and-feeling-lack-of-control-over-their-personal-information/

"Big Data and US National Security." Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2017.
Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,
link.gale.com/apps/doc/DHVKAI969695055/OVIC?
u=dayt30401&sid=OVIC&xid=36014231. Accessed 7 Mar. 2021.

"Big data, big worry: privacy fears on the rise." Sun-Herald [Sydney, Australia], 6 Dec. 2020, p.
16. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A643829273/OVIC?
u=dayt30401&sid=OVIC&xid=50d0b992. Accessed 7 Mar. 2021.

Catalyst, NEJM. “Healthcare Big Data and the Promise of Value-Based Care.” NEJM Catalyst,
1 Jan. 2018, catalyst.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/CAT.18.0290.

Favaretto, Maddalena, et al. "First do no harm: An exploration of researchers' ethics of conduct

in Big Data behavioral studies." PLoS ONE, vol. 15, no. 11, 2020, p. e0241865. Gale In
Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A640707179/OVIC?
u=dayt30401&sid=OVIC&xid=09230267. Accessed 7 Mar. 2021.