Fighting For Rights In A Time Of Big Data

Pam Baker | FierceBigData | March 3, 2014

More than a dozen civil rights groups are working to establish fairness guidelines for use by big data wielding law enforcement, hiring and commerce entities. They rightly point out the potential use of big data in discriminating against seniors and other groups. Below is the set of principles they think should be adopted across the board to prevent discrimination. The big surprise to some is that these principles do not apply only to minorities but to the much broader sweep of human rights.

According to the Civilrights.org webpage, these are the five principles being sought to protect individuals from bad big data practices:

1) Stop High-Tech Profiling. New surveillance tools and data gathering techniques that can assemble detailed information about any person or group create a heightened risk of profiling and discrimination. Clear limitations and robust audit mechanisms are necessary to make sure that if these tools are used it is in a responsible and equitable way.