“To exploit big data, we also need a public debate”

The analysis of large amounts of data holds the promise of new applications in numerous domains but also raises many societal questions. The new National Research Programme “Big Data” (NRP 75) addresses the technical questions raised by big data, such as infrastructures and security, while also covering the societal challenges, particularly social acceptance, regulatory and economic aspects, and the development of new applications.

“Privacy issues need to be debated publicly and openly”, says Christian S. Jensen, president of the Steering Committee. “Insights from the social sciences are crucial.” Now a computer scientist at Aalborg University in Denmark, he previously worked at the universities of Aarhus (DK), Arizona and Maryland as well as in the Google headquarters near San Francisco.

Mr Jensen, why is big data so important?

It’s the confluence of the unprecedented amounts of available data and capabilities of computing and communication infrastructures. This yields new opportunities to create value from data, economically as well as socially. Big data combines fundamental technological questions with a potential for applications in many different areas.

Where do you expect the biggest impact?

Prediction is always hard. One approach is to look at where large masses of data are produced: our digitised social lives, online and real-life shopping, e-government, logistics, insurance, transport and medicine.

What are the challenges?

The volume of data and the speed at which data is generated create challenges. Extracting information from heterogeneous and not always accurate data sources poses a further challenge. We should not impose unwanted technology on users who do not feel comfortable with it. Another challenge is to manage the ownership and sharing of data. Data is an asset, and the more you share it, the more value it can have. But since data has value, how can ownership be protected? How can we have marketplaces for data? Society has to find a balance between sharing and protection.

Is there a risk of backlash, should privacy be compromised?

We need an ongoing public debate, an informed population and media that question the use of this technology. I see a trend towards acceptance of less privacy, especially among younger people. People should be in control of their data, know how it is being used, and be able to delete it.

Data is gold, but do we put too much trust in it?

Quantifying an aspect of our lives tends to make us focus on it. This might empower us to do more, like the fitness watch that counts our steps and motivates us to walk longer distances. But other important aspects of our lives that are not quantified might suffer from a lack of attention. Aspects for which data is hard to collect might be as important as aspects for which data is available. We have to look critically at the consequences of being data-centric.