Privacy in the Age of Big Data: Recognizing Threats, Defending Your Rights, and Protecting Your Family

The average person provides more information about themselves to more outsiders than ever before, leading to a global privacy problem. The past decade has seen a significant increase in the collection of private information, the regulation of that collection, and people's sensitivity to loss of privacy. This has led to the development of entire data regulatory regimes and the spread of personal information over dozens of platforms. The pandemic has accelerated these trends, with contactless everything becoming the norm, contact tracing apps becoming acceptable, and businesses facing hybrid in-office and remote workforces. Privacy in the Age of Big Data, second edition, addresses the advances in data-driven technology, their intrusion deeper into our lives, the limits on data collection newly required by governments, and the new security challenges of the world. It helps regular people understand the privacy threats and vulnerabilities in their daily lives and provides solutions for maintaining better privacy while enjoying a modern life.

Format: Hardback
Length: 368 pages
Publication date: 15 March 2023
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

A comprehensive and timely reassessment of privacy and big data, marking a significant advancement in our understanding of these critical issues.

We face a global privacy crisis, with individuals providing unprecedented amounts of personal information to a broader range of external entities than ever before. Corporations, governments, and even our neighbors possess unprecedented access to our whereabouts, preferences, and activities, enabling them to track our movements, understand our choices, and observe our interactions.

Over the past decade, there have been profound shifts in the collection, regulation, and sensitivity to privacy loss. The once nascent privacy-threatening technologies of a decade ago have matured into sophisticated data-capturing systems that have become indispensable to law enforcement and corporations alike. As a result, entire data regulatory regimes have emerged worldwide, with new regulations being introduced annually to address the growing proliferation of personal data.

While concerns about privacy have grown, regulatory actions have become more assertive. However, despite these measures, the collection of personal data continues to expand, with far-reaching consequences across the globe. The use of social media has fragmented, spreading personal information across numerous platforms. Even our new televisions, equipped with advanced sensors and facial recognition technology, collect minute details about our households and the individuals watching them. Amazon, for instance, has recently launched a global network utilizing bandwidth from personal Wi-Fi devices and Ring security systems. The relentless pace of new intrusions shows no signs of slowing down.

These data trends are relentless, and yet, the response to the pandemic has further accelerated them. The adoption of "contactless everything" has become the norm, with the rapid development of contact tracing apps and the widespread use of QR codes for various purposes. Businesses have been forced to adapt to a hybrid work environment, where remote work and in-person interactions coexist.

In conclusion, the past decade has witnessed a significant transformation in the realm of privacy and big data. While concerns about privacy have grown, the response to the pandemic has further accelerated these trends. We must continue to be vigilant in protecting our personal information and advocating for robust data regulations to ensure that our privacy rights are safeguarded in the digital age.

Weight: 540g
Dimension: 216 x 148 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781538167823
Edition number: Second Edition