Crawford — The Anxieties of Big Data Response
When I thought about big data, I just simply think of numbers. I never put too much thought into the idea, because in my mind it doesn’t apply to me. I was intrigued by this idea of Big Data anxiety because I did not understand how one could be so worried about something that I believed to only apply to businesses and professionals. Reading Crawford’s essay though, really put into perspective just how vast big data is, and how it truly affects everyone.
One of the first points Crawford makes is how big data is trying to spread in many different professions, from sociology, to business, to psychology etc. A graphic is included showing a “web-like” affect as big data tries to engulf more and more professions. As soon as the data is successfully applied to one particular field of study, we automatically start thinking about where it can be used next. We are never satisfied with our current accomplishment, instead go straight into thinking about the future. This leads to one of the first forms of anxiety, which is this idea that we will never be satisfied by big data. We will always be thinking about more ways to use it, instead of being happing with the information it provided.
Seeing as how I am not personally analyzing big data, this point still did not do too much for me. I understood why this would produce anxiety in some, however I did not feel that concerned for this constant need of knowledge. Too me, that was just natural. It is human nature to constantly want more. We can only be content for so long until we decide to move forward with our next idea. This is not a bad trait, it is just the way the world works. We need to progress to move forward.
The next point that was made was what really opened my eyes to why some may feel anxiety in big data. It was pointed out that obviously this mass amount of information is revealing a lot about our personal lives. Creating algorithms that allow computers to make sense of random social media posts leads to a lot of who we are to be analyzed. However these same algorithms are dying to create patterns, this is what they were made for, to spot patterns that an average human may not be able to identify on their own. With that being said though, patterns may start to be drawn where patterns do not actually exist. This is where the next point is made, that big data can misrepresent us.
I tend to post song lyrics, or retweet goofy images, or things that do not actually pertain to me, or I relate to, but on a very shallow level. I cannot guarantee that if a computer were to go through my social media pages, they were be able to accurately get a feel for the type of person that I am. They may only get a sliver of who I am, and then try to judge me and guess what I like based on only a portion of my true self. There have been many times in my life where I have heard that humans are like icebergs, we only reveal our tips, where only 25% is or who we really are. The other 75% remains hidden, only to be discovered by those that are close to us.
All of a sudden big data was starting to apply to me. Now I am the one being misrepresented by the same machine that is trying to properly gage who I am. There was a quote from the article that really designated with me, “show too much but not enough,”. This is a very juxtaposing idea that could only make sense with big data. Big data is exposing everything that we put out there, but not necessarily representing who we really are.
Those that are trying to be read by big data are not the only ones suffering from the anxiety. Those that collect it, as I briefly touched on earlier, also feel anxiety in this massive data trend. The point made earlier what that we will always be trying to apply big data to more and more professions, never being content with just a single victory. Another reason for those that collect data to feel anxious is the knowledge that big data is never not being produced. While everyone is focused on continually trying to find new things to apply the data too, there will be even more information to be found within a single field. The work will never stop.
The larger the data becomes, the easier it will be to overlook tiny patterns, or tiny facts. Soon analyzers and computers will be so focused on finding patterns, that they will begin forcing patterns. They will be so desperate to find one that they may begin believing in “ghost-patterns” that do not actually exist. This goes along with confirmation bias. Humans want their beliefs to be correct, so they only look at facts and ideas that support their current beliefs. This goes for big data too. People will want to believe there are patterns, so they will begin making them and seeing them in places where not actual pattern exists. This again will lead to the misrepresentation of individuals.
One of the last ideas the essay discussed was this idea of “normcore”. Crawford talked about how it has almost become trendy to be normal, to blend in. During a time where big data is almost making it impossible to hide, we as a society are deciding it is stylish and “cool” to simply disappear in a crowd. We can never be happy with what we have or the way things are. It will always be a normal desire of society to go against the current trend. There will always be those people that want to be exactly the opposite of what our world is turning into. Before when it was not as easy to access people, people wanted to stand out, be noticed. Now, when everything is so transparent, people are wanting to blend in, remain anonymous.
All the reasons that were pointed out within this essay really made me realize the scope of big data and how it is effecting everyone, not just those who directly work with it every day.
