The Dark Side of Big Data: How Our Information Fuels Addiction, Manipulation and Shapes Society

When over 200,000 people filled out a seemingly innocent personality quiz created by the technology supergiant Facebook, in partnership with Cambridge Analytica, they unknowingly compromised all of their personal data alongside that of their friends and family. This data, harvested without consent, impacted an estimated 90 million people and was used to create detailed psychological profiles of potential voters in the 2016 US Presidential Election. The information gathered helped to generate micro-targeted political advertisements – including some that highlighted key issues such as immigration and gun rights – with the intention to sway undecided voters. Exploited by Donald Trump’s campaign team, this strategy played a crucial role in his victory. How are we to know what else our information is being used for? Big data consists of extremely large data sets that can be studied to find trends in the interactions and behaviour of people. The collection of it is omnipresent – even a brief scroll through social media gathers countless metrics, which range from the obvious such as likes, shares and replays, to the time spent hesitating with the finger on the screen before continuing to swipe – which users might not even be aware is being collected. All of this is aimed at improving the algorithms for more relevant content and targeted ads. Consequently, data is often likened to “new oil,” as it becomes increasingly valuable. Safeguarding crucial information is now more important than ever. As data production continues to grow, so do concerns about privacy and security. Additionally, the rapid rise of data breaches and cyber threats extends the potential misuse of personal data beyond profiling and targeting practices to financial fraud and unauthorised surveillance. Alarmingly, a 2024 UK government report found that 50% of businesses experienced some form of cyber security breach in the last year. Moreover, according to IBM Security, the financial impact of a data breach averages $4.24 million, with healthcare breaches costing up to $9.23 million, highlighting the urgent need for robust data protection measures. Social media, with its vast userbases of mostly younger generations, is a particular worry with the rise of data insecurity. Targeted advertising can subconsciously shape ideals as children grow, sometimes accentuated by groups who might have sinister purposes in influencing their social or political viewpoints, such as extremist organisations that exploit big data analytics to identify and engage impressionable users susceptible to their messages. Additionally, targeted content further adds to the engagement and attention received, which can create addiction and reliance on short-form content. As shown by the American Academy of Paediatrics in 2020, children exposed to excessive targeting driven by algorithms analysing their preferences have shorter attention spans and the decreased ability to concentrate. This further highlights the importance of data protection. Big data also fuels the AI industry, which relies on machine learning based on extensive datasets. However, large-scale data collection to drive the AI revolution raises ethical concerns – this is because the rapid progress could very easily soon replace human jobs, throwing entire professions into upheaval, with an estimated 800 million jobs to be lost to automation by 2030. AI reduces the need for face-to-face human interaction, and although short encounters might seem trivial, the cumulative loss could lead to an erosion of social skills and community cohesion. This could not only threaten to undermine the quality of human relationships, but also could pose a risk to mental health, as human connection is integral to emotional well-being. To navigate a data-driven world, individuals must be equipped to understand data, and rules must ensure its responsible collection and use. Achieving equilibrium in utilising data for advancement while preserving our humanity is crucial. Technology should enhance our lives, not diminish our capacity for empathy, critical thinking, and human interaction. Legislative measures such as the General Data Protection Regulation in Europe represent steps towards better data protection, but continuous vigilance and adaptation are needed to keep pace with technological advancements. In today's digital era, the relationship between data and humans is complex and continuously changing. The future of the digital realm depends completely on our capacity to effectively use data – while protecting the core of what it means to be human.