Deep data and trust

Many companies have strategy to solve big data problem now: sophisticated tools to capture all the data no matter their source and format. When the data is collected from mass, then it generates a pattern that leads to powerful decision making. Many organizations also felt need to not only think big instead think deep too. Deeply analyze the data from one source before pouring all data in one place. That one source can be an individual.

For an individual deep data makes more sense than big data. If an individual wants to analyse his or her own data, then its deep data. A smart phone is the source of deep data. Companies such as Facebook and Google do similar analysis but generalizing an individual or network or group of individuals for targeted advertising. As an individual, I would be very much interested in viewing the dashboard that presents rich picture of myself backed by deep data of mine.

The shift of thinking from Big Data towards Deep Data is similar to shift from Science 1.0 to Science 2.0. Rather than looking into stars look within yourself. Indeed most of the big data sources are build over deep data.

“Deep data is used to make people and communities see themselves. Deep data functions like a mirror: it makes you see yourself — both as an individual and as a community.” — Otto Scharmer, MIT

Lot of research has already been done on analyzing the individual’s data and predicting the individual’s behavior. It is also referred roughly as social analytics. I got involved into it after doing an online course. And was thinking of building something like:

Important point is once individual’s take full control of his or her own data then individual can dis-intermediate Google or Facebook, and monetize the data by directly selling his or her preferences and predictions to hotels and restaurants.

Individuals understand personal data, GDPR, takes control of data, shares data in secure way, and protects himself or herself from social engineering. GDPR gives more control in the hands of individuals regarding personal data. But may be many will not understand consent receipts and how to manage them. Consent receipt is best way to know who all knows/owns an individual’s personal data but it will be good if I can visualize it through a dashboard

Once individual owns the his or her deep data including personal data and how it is distributed, they should have a mechanism to share the data in secure way, using a platform build over (secure) multi party computation and blockchain such as enigma. Multiple parties can participate in computation without revealing their data.

Individuals can secure themselves (their data) by controlling their identities, more details on future of identities are in book “Trust::Data: A New Framework for Identity and Data Sharing”.

One idea is every individual has core id, that is build by trusted parties such as government, bank, and so on. Core Id identifies an individual. Individuals should create personas and each persona has persona id. Personas such as Social persona, finance persona, work persona, and so on. Keep your persona data & id independent such as keep independent email’s for social media, financial transactions, work, and personal. Based on persona create profiles (long live) or transactions (short lived). For example, individual will create a social persona and then create profiles for facebook, twitter, and so on from social persona

In my experience by creating personas one can protect himself or herself from cyber hacks. Since a hacker can probably hack a persona but cannot hack complete data. And individual is creating layers, separating data based on use, and never revealing core data. I have created a finance persona and created two profiles in two banks. I have savings account in two banks: 1 and 2. I always one bank 1 account for savings and never use its ATM (Debit) card and I use bank 2 account for daily transactions using its ATM. I transfer only limited amount of money from Bank 1 to Bank 2; so that if my ATM card is hacked then hacker can withdraw only limited amount.

Lot more concepts are involved and many great minds are working in finding a balance between data sharing and privacy. This was just an introduction of things in my mind and my drawings