Big data: Invasion of privacy or unlimited business opportunities?

Mailboxes, web search, various activities on social networks ... Every two years, the number of network data will increase exponentially. This vast array of data, once integrated, filtered and analyzed, can be a great tool for companies to understand users. However, although large data has aroused more and more people's attention, even some people call it "New Black gold", but the protection of personal network data has become the focus of increasing attention. So, in the end is personal privacy important or Enterprise unlimited business opportunities important?

As with cloud computing, large data has become an area that cannot be neglected in the development of High-tech. Large data is a set of techniques and methods for analyzing the huge data produced by businesses, organizations, individuals, and even objects connected to each other, generally predictable and at an unprecedented high speed. Broadly speaking, large data include mailboxes, text messages, photos, videos, comments on social networks, labels and status, time on the internet, electronic sensors, geographical signs, and so on. In every corner of the world, these data are posted on the web in large numbers.

According to statistics, now every 18 months to 24 months the number of network data will be doubled. Ericsson, the world's telecoms giant mobile network equipment retailer (Ericsson), predicts that by 2020, 50 billion items (vehicles, refrigerators, smart sensors, etc.) will be connected to the world. 12 billion items are now connected to each other. Another high-profile aspect of the big data landscape is the rise of open data, where the government has been particularly prominent in promoting the availability of public data to the public.

The vast data will be "new oil", Clive Humby, founder of Dunnhumby, the biggest retail company in the UK. He pointed out that these sudden resources must be refined and classified, refine, in order to profit from it. IBM President Ginn I Rometty said that this "new natural resources" like the "Information tsunami", no accident will bring Earth-shaking changes. She even predicts that "social networking will be a new production line for businesses".

Quantity, kind, speed and ... Value

According to McKinsey, a consultancy, the big data will be "new areas of innovation, competition and productivity". These large, rich, authentic data (text, video, sound, etc.) have not been able to be processed, stored and analyzed using traditional database management tools and decision analysis tools, but they can be clearly presented using traditional charts ("Data Visualization").

Quantity, type and speed, which is the three major criteria for defining large data. In addition, one might consider the value of the data or the authenticity of the data, because network data is not of equal importance, and not all data is trustworthy and can create value, and they may contain errors or duplicate data. That is to say, many web information and content are worthless. A post, a "I like", a comment on the forum or a tweet, what is their value in the end? Only through integration, filtration and analysis can these data create great value.

"The information field is producing new words and concepts every moment." We are trying to figure out whether this is just a blip or the effect of people chasing the epidemic, to try to quantify the value created by the global economy, all walks of life and even individuals using big data. "Matteo Pacca, a big data-field expert, McKinsey's French district manager, said.

In Europe, big data can help reduce the cost of the public sector by 15% to 20%, reduce tax evasion and raise revenue by 250 billion euros a year. As for large retail groups, the use of large data can increase the yield by 60%. Matteo Pacca points out that "the rational use of geolocation services can generate € 100 billion in revenue for a variety of service providers and generate 700 billion euros in revenue for consumers." For example, consumers can buy relatively inexpensive items in a place closer to home.

More accurate market positioning

The impact of large data is extensive, involving not only all walks of life but also individuals, government departments and the public domain (transport, taxation, social security, and even the police). In addition, large data have a significant impact on the field of medical research, and large data programs have been launched in the field of genomics and medical imaging.

The data as a new resource although the development degree is low, but it can help the enterprise to realize the benefit maximization: closely follows each business activity and the logistics link, the detection error, promptly checks the leakage fill, thus optimizes the operation flow, reduces the cost. Large data can also help companies identify market positioning, thereby increasing turnover and market share. "Under the bad economic conditions, enterprises are very interested in the new economic growth point of large data." Matteo Pacca pointed out.

In his view, large data had the greatest impact on three areas: one is the retail industry, because the huge customer base and the shopping record is a database with unlimited potential; the second is the Medical health field (medicine and medical insurance), the big data is helpful to the analysis medicaments curative effect; third, bank insurance, large data can improve the pertinence of financial products, Especially in the area of risk analysis. In 2012, the market share of financial services, health care and the public sector was over 55%, according to a report published by Transparency Harsh research.

In addition, with the advent of the large data age, a number of new occupations came into being, according to the scientists (data scientist), the CIO (figuratively, Officer, CDO) and data quality managers, which rank as marketing manager and information manager, Their job is to find ways to strengthen the links between the marketing department and the information department. The French Software Editors Union (Afdel) has called on government departments and private companies to work together to invest € 300 million in the development of large data areas. Afdel that in the next five years, the big data will create the value of 2.8 billion euros, and will generate 10,000 jobs.

In the French government's digital roadmap, the French government will take out € 150 million of aid funds to develop five strategic new technologies to give birth to the world's leading French companies, one of the big figures. According to Gartner, the US consultancy, the big data will create 4.4 million jobs worldwide, 1.9 million in the United States, from now until 2015. "In the next 5 to 10 years, the number of jobs created in Europe will reach 2 million," says Matteo Pacca. "In addition, Gartner said:" 2013 will be a year of wide application of large data technology. ”

Large data: Protection of personal network data

The rapid development of large data areas will raise the question of how to protect private life and network data. This is also a matter of concern to Governments, the European Commission and the French National Commission for Computing and Freedom (CNIL), which are committed to the introduction of appropriate laws and regulations and policies (such as "opt-in") to protect personal privacy.

In addition, the Internet Data Center believes that the greatest potential for large data areas is to monitor the use of video data. Effective use of surveillance video can reduce crime, alleviate traffic congestion and so on. The police department in Memphis, Tennessee, used IBM's Analytics software to investigate and analyze the case, reducing the local crime rate by 30%.

(Responsible editor: Lu Guang)