Oracle Big Data Appliance: Scary-big cloud data is coming
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/oracle-big-data-appliance-scary-big-cloud-data-is-coming/59543?tag=mantle_skin;content
The the ever changing IT environment, this article seems to show the biggest concern for social media. Whatever you leave out in the public (or by your own friends), you could pay more or be denied promotion (let alone employments).
As Oracle rolls another appliance, they changed the model to deal with unstructured database (compare to their strength, structured). It is in light of the social media and the vast knowledge and tool to obtain more information about people.
As the article points out;
"The big data software for this insurance company could set the standard rate for the customer and then provide a discount (or penalty) based on more thorough data analysis. The first analysis would be based on structured data (driving record, legal record, credit score, etc.). The second analysis could be based on an unstructured source of data such as the person’s social graph (Twitter stream, YouTube views, etc.). People that do a lot of parental stuff on their social graph would likely get a discount, while those whose social graph is full of thrill-seeking activity would likely get a penalty.
Your social graph having a financial impact on you personally may sound a little scary — and let’s be clear that this example is only conceptual at this point — but everyone should be aware that this is the kind of thing that companies are going to be able to do in the future. This shows how businesses will soon be able mine public data with products like the Oracle Big Data Appliance. You can already do much of this now by hacking something together with NoSQL and Hadoop, but Oracle is ready to commercialize it in a big way."
It is not funny that someone post a picture of you (or fake picture) of you and it cost you more that otherwise would not be known. Your public life becomes your private and perception of you in the public could change everything about you.
As a rule, if you are going to post it..... Well, make sure you ask two questions: Would you post it when it could impact your image to the public?
How does images online impact your reputation in your private life?
It is scary to see that companies are doing just that. Utilizing social media to obtain more information about you. This could deny your future employment because you believe in the theory of socialism or you are anti-corporatist (though you work for a corporation).
David - As a victim of indentity theft, it causes me great concern to see tha vast amount of personal (financial, medical, etc.) information that is being put into the pucblic domain. This article discusses the continued proliferation of mass amounts of data being requested, collected, and stored by the social media applications. Greater security algorithms must be developed and deployed to keep our information safe. The crooks are licking their chops as they see this phenomenon occuring.
ReplyDeleteVernon, the scary thing is that not only does identity theft become rampant as well as strangers knowing who you are without "knowing" you.
ReplyDeleteA brave new world where everyone knows you. I like community and small-town life but not like this
I have heard of employers looking at the ways in which potential employees use social media such as looking at what they have posted on their Facebook page, etc. However, I haven't heard of this concept of being able to use social media in order to potentially hike up insurance rates or give discounts based on what is found. As an employee within the insurance industry, it is very hard for me to see this happening. Overall, it is a very conservative industry that is just getting its feet wet in terms of finding out how to use social media, and there is still a lot of legal restriction around it. Guidelines around rating are that rates are not excessive, inadequate or unfairly discriminatory- at least for the standard carrier. Using social media as a way to determine risk characteristics seems unfairly discriminatory to me. Very interesting concept.
ReplyDeleteI would never think any company or industry would use social media the way it was being used. But even monster.com talks about how social media could get you fired.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.monsterthinking.com/2011/03/02/social-media-and-employment-law/
Though the insurance industry is conservative, many people would never thought a credit score should affect your insurance premium. Now, it does and is considered "high risk" assessment. Add that other industries are doing this, it is a matter of when and not if...
That is the reality of social media. It brings people together but it will bring those you would not like into your world as well.