I’ve learned so much throughout this class making it truly a challenge to pick one item of content that “moved” me the most. I will say, the talk given by Artefact Group’s Adriana Gil Miner was definitely eye-opening for me.
I’ve read various articles about Google and other technology companies collecting user data. Like most, I check the “I accept the terms and conditions” check box without reading them and proceed to the website I’ve signed up for. After Adriana’s presentation, I had a much better understanding of how companies are using the data we put out there online and what kind of terms and conditions I’ve been agreeing to in the past. The severely paranoid (and possibly narcissistic) strongly object to their data being used and collected—becoming a cyber-recluse. Personally, I see data collection as an amazing tool that can be used to help us; everything from healthcare (e.g. 23andMe) to shopping preferences. It allows marketers to be less intrusive (interrupting the narrative flow of The Walking Dead) and to give us what we want when we’re looking for it (that’s a good thing right?).
After Adriana’s talk, I’ve been more aware of what I’m doing and what I’m clicking online. I feel like I have a better understanding of how businesses will use the data I’m putting out there. Even though big data is at its infancy, I believe it will be more advanced, more intuitive, and more accepted down the road. Given my original Terms of Engagement written at the beginning of this quarter, it was a pleasant surprise to learn something I wouldn’t have regularly sought out for myself.
WordPress post about Adriana’s talk and big data here.
A Millennial's Musings 