What Does the Average American Know About Data?
It’s often said that the modern gold rush won’t be for minerals or materials, but rather for data. In their new ten-minute short documentary “The Web Data Revolution,” Bright Data, the world’s #1 web data platform presents an exciting look at the way that today’s Fortune 500 companies, academic institutions, small businesses, and even environmental and human rights advocacy rely on data solutions to access important public web data in the most efficient, reliable, and flexible way.
Nowadays, with popular documentary films, such as The Social Dilemma laying bare the dangers of users’ personal data being used to manipulate and advertise to them on social platforms, public vs private data and their applications are a hot-button topic nowadays. And while data may not seem like the most exciting topic to the average documentary viewer, Bright Data manages to create a compelling ten-minute documentary film as they take us through four different case studies that illuminate how their data tools and solutions are creating a smarter, more organized, safer, and more abundant world… a completely transparent and honorable approach to collecting public information available to any user online. This is very different from the private data woes of The Social Dilemma.
“Miss the web data revolution,” warns Bright Data’s narrator, “and you could become the next Blockbuster Video.” According to Bright Data, gathering insight from public web data presents a tipping point: web data collection tools are like “having a superpower.” And, at the current pace of change, failing to grasp them now could reverse competitive advantage, ending up with shuttered businesses like Blockbuster.
In the film, we see four individuals who, unlike Blockbuster, succeed at capitalizing on the digital public data revolution. First through Micah who brings the best investment ideas to the table, then Jill who is building a pristine fashion brand. Next, we see Bert who dominates the online travel booking space through data applications, and finally, we see Maia gain incredible traction with her clever product startup.
With each individual, we learn how data about marketplace dynamics across products, pricing, inventory, supply chains, and consumer behaviors ensures that each person’s business choices succeed. By seeing what customers are doing, viewing critical trends, and being able to anticipate what competitors will do next, each Bright Data case study seems to genuinely benefit from the applications of Bright Data’s tools.
The Importance of Transparency and Ethics for Public Web Data Collection
While the film presents a very positive outlook on the data gold rush of today, the obvious privacy and ethical implications of data collection and usage are only briefly addressed in the film. “You can think of web data collection as going to the public library and reading every book,” says the narrator. “Providers like Bright Data have a vested interest in keeping this library open, and take extra precautions to ensure its integrity. We do this through a code of ethics as well as software protocols that prevent any misuse of the technology.” Ensuring that public web data collection remains as transparent as possible is a top priority for Bright Data, especially in response to those who feel concerned about the ethics and integrity of how data worldwide is collected and used.
Bright Data remains steadfast in its positive belief in the data revolution. “We see the collection and analysis of public web data as a significant positive development for society,” says the narrator aloud. “It’s a strong competitive advantage for a business. It enhances the choices for consumers. And it also helps us grapple with some of the most important environmental and social issues of our time.”
One thing is for sure, after watching “The Web Data Revolution,” viewers will feel curious, inspired, and compelled to learn more about Bright Data’s offered solutions. The future certainly appears bright with data being positively utilized to shift paradigms, revive economies, help the environment, prevent crime, and foster competitive advantages. Perhaps data is indeed the burgeoning golden superhero of today, arming humans to become super humans with an incredible, if not uncanny, advantage unlike any epoch before us.
