PrivacyPrivacy as a personal preference

Is there such a thing as too much privacy?

What will be discussed

Why privacy is an issue

Dangers of lack of privacy

Databases and data mining

Information gathering

Possibilities of using databases

Some questions for you to think about

Privacy is NECESSARY

Why is privacy an issue?

Things people may want to keep private

Anonymity on the internet

Just because!

How computers affect information gathering and storage

Faster and easier

New records kept by governments and private organizations

Higher level of information detail

More accessible to more people

Portable in large quantities

Possible social effects of lack of privacyGeneric relationships lacking in trust

Conformity makes it difficult to bring about social change

Lack of independent thinking

Impossibility of democracy

Dangers of erroneous and irrelevant information

Nothing wrong, nothing to fear?

Lack of updated information can lead to misconceptions

Irrelevant information can lead to illegal racial profiling, discrimination

What is a database?

Collection of related data; examples

Usually searchable in the form of queries

Makes information storage, retrieval, and alteration fast and easy

How databases relate to data mining

Databases are the main subject of data mining

The more information that is stored in a database, the more can be mined

Collective amount of information in databases

Software available for data mining

Huge amount of programs available in US and internationally

Website: http://www.andypryke.com/university/software.html

Over 50 programs

How databases enhance information gathering

Concatenation of information

Variety of information

Personal example!!

How databases can help and hinder

Nature of database information

Help: Erroneous/irrelevant information problem

Hinder: Time and effort

Broader possibilities using databases

Profiling to make consumer predictions and suggestions; political predictions

Example: Amazon.com

Cookies

Mass information gathering

Do you think that the broad information found in databases does more to destroy

privacy or to help research? Why? Where can the line between the two be drawn?

Is it wrong for companies to use information found in databases to profile

prospective clientele?

What kind of control do you think a person should have over his or her own

information? How can a person assume that control?

If you had a database of information about your classmates, would you sell it to

a company that wanted it to improve their marketing to college-age students?

You work for a bank. What would you do if you were told to use irrelevant information

in a database (such as race, gender, religion, etc.) to determine the recipients of loans?