What is big data? Given its name, does one define it simply in terms of size or quantity? If that’s the case, much of the excitement that surrounds it is overblown. History, after all, is teeming with evidence of humans dealing with generous amounts of data. That also means the concept is a dated one, merely resuscitated from relative obscurity. No. Big data goes beyond that—though volume remains a major distinguishing mark. The consensus seems to be that it is characterized by the three“Vs”: volume (because of the massive datasets involved), velocity (because of near-real-time accumulation, generation, or processing), and variety (because of the many different sources it is culled from).
Big Data Use in the Philippines
In the domestic context, the use of big data by government and the private sector is also growing steadily. Of course, no technology has ever been developed that does not have its less agreeable side. To date, concerns already abound regarding BDA, particularly when personal data is involved. This research by FMA with Privacy International covers big data use, emerging concerns and critical points to keep in mind for the future.
Read the whole publication by Foundation for Media Alternatives.