Reality Mining: Privacy and Data Protection Dilemmas in the World of Perpetual Behavioral Monitoring
60 Pages Posted: 27 Aug 2018
Date Written: August 13, 2018
Abstract
Reality mining is occurring in our everyday lives, understanding how we act upon our circumstances, internal or external stimuli, predicting future behaviors and oftentimes intervening in them. It utilizes sensors and electronic devices to achieve the above goals, with the former expanding rapidly in number and capabilities over the years, acting as mining enablers. This, combined with the fact that trails of digital information are disseminated by an increasing number of people, creates the perfect conditions for reality mining to thrive in. Although it is a widespread phenomenon – perhaps not known with the term “Reality Mining” per se – the consequences and effects to privacy and data protection create reasons for critical assessment of its capabilities and intrusions. As a result, reality mining poses as a fertile ground for contemplation and exploration in terms of its side effects to the notions of privacy and data protection.
Keywords: reality mining, data protection, privacy, discrimination, automated decision-making, profiling, data mining, behavioral monitoring
JEL Classification: K39, K33, K29
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation