Introducing Whaleslide’s 2018 Data Detox
Welcome back and happy New Year from the team at Whaleslide!
Even if you don’t subscribe to New Year’s resolutions (there’s enough disappointment in life without forcing yourself to do something you don’t really want to do and quitting by Feb) there’s no getting away from the fact that the new year offers an opportunity to start afresh and make changes, however big or small. Most people think about the physical or personal, such as losing weight, eating better or changing jobs but how many of you have considered a digital data detox? Your online life can get just as messy as your ‘real’ life but most people don’t even think about trying to declutter it.
We’ve not even done a full week back at work yet so give yourself time to properly get on your feet and adjust to the post-Christmas/NY booze-fest and keep an eye out for our week of data detox blogs starting next Monday!
In the meantime, we wanted to share some insights from a recent field trip that really captured our imagination. We’re always on the lookout for new and interesting ways to think about privacy, data and protecting ourselves in an increasingly digital world so we took some time out to visit The Glass Room Exhibition in the run up to Christmas. Their much-hyped interactive exhibit included workshops to help you learn more about privacy and tackle some of the big questions like: how is your data used to define you, and what do you give up in exchange? What are the trade-offs when we give up our privacy or autonomy for safety and efficiency? What data traces do we leave behind when we move through a physical space, and how can we regain some control and independence in a world where we are increasingly and indiscriminately monitored? Now that we’ve had time to digest it, here’s a rundown of some of the innovations being introduced which use your personal data in new (and in some cases, unwanted) ways.
If we’re being honest — some of the stuff we discovered was at best eyebrow-raising and worst downright disturbing! One example that really stood out was the Singapore-based company Lenddo, which uses social media, browsing history and smartphone data to ascertain an individual’s financial stability and set an appropriate lending rate based upon the data. According to Lenddo, this information is highly predictive of credit-worthiness and some 12,000 variables are analysed for each application to “improve financial inclusion for at least a billion people”. Whilst we love to see technological advancement to make the world a better place, this has eerie echoes of Black Mirror’s episode ‘Nosedive’ in which (this is not a spoiler, we promise) peoples’ everyday interactions are rated on a scale of 1–5 and those with the coveted higher ratings could essentially have access to a better life with preferential rates for everything from tables in restaurants to mortgage applications. Before you get too freaked out, it should be noted that in 2015 a company announced they were developing an app called ‘Peeple’ which was exactly what was depicted in ‘Nosedive’ and thankfully, the app was shot down in flames by the good people of the internet (due to its potential for anonymous bullying and character assassination).
Next up was a topic close to our hearts — targeted advertising. When you use a search engine to search and shop online, data is often collected and utilised to generate ads targeted to you individually; there is even some suggestion that the price you pay can vary based upon this data. That’s why when you search anything from a pair of shoes to a holiday, for weeks afterwards you will see targeted adverts not only on your search engine, but also on other websites you visit (WhaleSlide doesn’t do this!). Which brings us to Tapad who “unify life across devices” in order to “transform data into dollars”. We watched a short video at The Glass Room which shows how Tapad are able to analyse the data of a typical household (say, 5 people — 2 parents plus 3 children) who might each have a smartphone and laptop, and a couple of other devices. Tapad collects data from these devices and cross-references hundreds of variables to essentially create a digital DNA between each device so that adverts can be targeted more efficiently to each person. Remember that old tech proverb that “if you are not paying for it, you’re not the customer; you’re the product being sold”.
There were many other fascinating snapshots into how our data is now shared and utilised, such as with ancestry DNA testing. The company 23andme has it written into its terms and conditions that they can share your genetic data with Pfizer, who add it to their database and use it to help find new targets to treat disease and to design clinical trials. Whilst this sharing of data is meant to benefit society as a whole and advance medical testing, it represents yet another use of personal data that users may not be aware of.
Cubic Corporation designs and operates systems that, “increase situational awareness” in transportation and defence. Which may sound a little abstract, but is perhaps best illustrated by a transport network such as the the tube in London. The data created by using an oyster card, contactless bank card, phone payment, or the free WiFi in tube stations is collected, meaning you are tracked from start to finish on your journey so that your route, time and destination can be analysed, with the potential to consider how efficiency can be increased.
Finally, another company that caught our eye was Silver Mother, who offer “smart care for our loved ones” and touts itself as a “comprehensive monitoring solution for seniors”. Essentially, they create devices to be placed in the home which can alert you as to how often someone has taken their medication, how much coffee they have drunk, their temperature, when they open the door, and even how much sleep they have had. This data can be passed on to their doctor, and you can receive notifications on your smartphone regarding the monitored person’s activities. As with many applications of technology to modern life, this can be incredibly useful. It might help keep an eye on a loved one with an illness such as Alzheimer’s for which full-time care isn’t yet required. But, on the flip side, there are concerns about giving away too much of our lives, too readily…because where does it end? Or maybe it has gone too far already?
If this has made you think about the future of your data usage and your digital footprint, look out for our Data Detox Series starting on Monday 8th January which will give you simple tips each day on how to clean up and take back control of your digital life.
