“A Little Bit More About Big Data”

Life Members

Big Data just keeps getting bigger, and it may be that we have gone past a tipping point on applications.

What if you could cross connect thousands of data points on every person in the U.S.?

What if you could run human medical/psychological tests on thousands or millions of volunteers without any “human subject review committee?”. What if you could target custom ads at each individual knowing their preferences, purchasing history, and personality traits? What if examining a few pictures of a persons face you would have a high probability of accurately associating them with a capital offense? What if connecting the gun purchasing database into other data stores could identify highly likely suicide or violent offenders?

All but the last one of these potential applications is “so last year.” It is time to be aware of the uses, and potential abuses of big data, and consider what it means for our future.

Jim Isaak is past president of the IEEE Computer Society and past Vice President of the IEEE Society on Social Implications of Technology. Jim also is the primary blogger for “SocietyAndTechnolgy.org” (aka IEEESSIT.org). Jim has been contemplating data since it was little, and last year’s take on these issues does not reflect what the bouncing baby is now doing.

The meeting will be held at the Lincoln Lab Main Cafeteria, 244 Wood Street, Lexington, MA at 4:00 PM. Please use the Wood Street Gate. For directions go to http://www.ll.mit.edu/ Refreshments will be served at 3:30 PM, and a video on Big Data will be shown starting at 3:50.

For other information, contact Lori Jeromin: 781- 981-4152.