Re: deanonymising
>Even anonymised data is invading privacy, depending on how it is used.
Anonymous data could be a sensor on a road for the valid purpose of determining traffic patterns and subsequent road planning. The sensor counts how many times it is squished by cars, and counts them. No identfying information is collected. Do you have a problem with this?
Anonymous data covers a company knowing how many orders it has shipped out.
I agree that data has been slurped too much in the last twenty years. However, we're likely to find better answers if we can have discussions about it.
If we can agree that there is some level of aggregate, anonymous data that companies can use to better their offerings to us (otherwise a company might make a million red scarves when the market wants blue scarves ), and the means of keeping data anonymous can be mathematically proven, isn't that a path worth at least exploring? Perhaps it is possible to build into the system a way of providing under-resourced competitors with the same anonymised data, so they can compete on quality and price (and not just market intelligence).
I might choose to do that. And why not? It's my data. If someone builds an infrastructure for me to conciously share data about myself that I believe will benefit myself and society, so much the better.
Netflix doesn't share viewing figures. If I shared my Netflix viewing behaviour anomyinously, along with a thousand other people, to a new entrant in that market might it result in more content that I want to watch?
Biting the hand that feeds IT
