Data snooping; Uber hack; Blockchain & GDPR; Insights-as-a-service.

All included in this week’s digest on the world of data. 👇🏼

Google faces mass legal action in UK over data snooping.

The search giant is accused of “unlawfully harvesting the personal information of millions of UK iPhone users”. Google allegedly tracked the online behaviour of people using the Safari browser- which was then fed into its targeted advertising business. Side note, Google was also caught collecting Android users’ locations even when location services are disabled. 🙈

Uber hack: EU data protection bods launch task force.

“The European Union’s group of data protection watchdogs has launched a task force into the Uber data breach that affected 57 million users worldwide.” If you haven’t already, read the full Bloomberg write-up on the breach and cover-up. -> Uber’s third-quarterly results showed adjusted losses had widened to $734m — up 14 % on the previous quarter. 📉

Blockchains: can they help with GDPR compliance?

Reporting on the Computing Enterprise Security and Risk Management Summit, John Leonard discusses the pros and cons of the blockchain. Although it is “a tool that can be used”, it is “not a silver bullet” and in many cases “other solutions” are a better fit. For example, in relation to the right of erasure, data being immutable “is a burden rather than a benefit”. — Daniel McNally on how blockchain is overhyped and misunderstood. 🔮

Forrester’s 2018 AI predictions. Key findings:

• Firms will remake traditional data and analytic roles to activate insights: Two-thirds of firms will create customer insight centres of excellence, and data engineers will become the new hot job title in 2018.
• The insights market landscape will become as complex as three-dimensional chess: The IaaS (Insights-as-a-Service) market will double, with 80 percent of firms relying on insights service providers for some portion of insights capabilities in 2018.

What data and demographics can do for your brand.

Steve Olenski writes about the importance of CMOs “synthesising big data to predict performance and adjust their business strategy in real time”. These digital insights will help them “gain an edge over an ever-improving market toolbox” as building a brand is never easy. ✅

Miscellaneous

To save net neutrality, we must build our own internet. According to Jeff Kao, more than a million pro-repeal net neutrality comments were likely faked. — Join the battle for the net. 🛡️

How Facebook figures out everyone you’ve ever met. 🔍

Bitcoin volatility intensifies while exchanges struggle with demand. 🙈

Coinbase ordered to hand over 14,355 users to the IRS. 💸

UK Biobank supercharges medicine with gene data on 500,000 Brits. 🏥

Art exhibit shows off the beauty of data 🙌 :