This is the article i have decided to use for my assignment 2a
CONSTRUCTING, VISUALIZING, AND ANALYZING A DIGITAL FOOTPRINT
Summary
This article brings to light the concerns and compromises we make, our desire for new technologies, our need for security and our demand for privacy. How inherently one affects the other and how location aware technologies and now access to federal databases, good or bad erode our right to privacy in a number of ways and finding that balance is difficult with today’s problems.
The article introduces software called “Big Foot” (Specialised software created for research) and they demonstrate how multiple digital personae’s can be created from using data we leave behind which becomes our unique “digital footprint” (Defined further in the article). By using “Big Foot” on an individual from a certain date/time frame “Big Foot” is able to construct what that individual did over that time period and how that data is used for different possibilities including the hunt for terrorists. They also allow us to see that technology itself is not evil but how we may apply it and how that impact will have on future societies.
Questions
a) The title is “Constructing, visualising, and analyzing a digital footprint”. From the wording of the title without reading the article I can guess that it has something to do with building something and being able to view or see an image and then study or looking at in greater detail with a “Digital Footprint”. After reading the complete article and rereading the abstract I can honestly say that is was well written and concise. It enticed me with enough for me to want to read further.
b) The paper was written by Stephen D Weaver and Mark Gahegan. I Googled both authors and found that they have written quite a few papers in the scientific arena and have co authored papers together before. Stephen Weaver is a doctoral candidate in geography at The Pennsylvania State University and Dr Gahegan is a professor of geography. Also this article was written in the Geographical Review. I found that with this knowledge and what they had to say I found them to be credible to the extent I began telling people about this article.
c) I thought the abstract on this article was well written and enticed me enough that I wanted to read further. It was well written that it had you already debating in your head to the questions it posed and left you wanting to know more.
d) The authors collected and synthesised data, they posted several research questions on how the data should be displayed and visualised and which aspects of the behaviour and persona are well represented in the data, and which are not? Is it possible to create hypothetical digital personae and find them in the database? What kinds of errors and uncertainties in the data may cause incorrect interpretation of activities by a third party? They investigated these and other questions using a custom-built software application that facilitated visualisation and analysis of the digital footprint, then developed several plausible activity scenarios to facilitate discussion of the implications of new dimensions of personal data-for example, location-being linked to traditional point-of-sale (pos) and demographic data.
e) The paper was definitely well worth reading I learned that without control in some manner over new technologies used in the name of security it will erode our privacy. There has to be some type of watchdog looking at the big picture so the little man on the street is not bullied into excepting new security measures because it has been told to them that it’s the only way to help the “Fight” and not been told that by accepting these measures he now gives up just that little more of what he considers his right to privacy. The article was extremely enlightening on what a “Digital Footprint” and what it was made up from. Even as an I.T student we tend to forget the extent we use digital technology in our daily lives. As an example a “Digital Footprint” can be made up from credit or debit cards, cash transactions with supermarkets, video renters, and other assorted retail businesses, “cashed” personal checks, transactions conducted at automated teller machines (ATMS), online payments, and electronic deposits and fund transfers to bank accounts, transactions with libraries, film renters, and insurance companies; legal and medical histories; and professional, religious, and volunteer affiliations, in-car navigation systems, Cell phones, various forms of emergency assistance, remote diagnostics, stolen-vehicle tracking, driving directions, a personal concierge that can book hotels or suggest entertainment destinations, navigation systems for the visually impaired These systems are designed to be self-contained and portable-that is, wearable-and help visually impaired individuals to navigate safely through familiar and unfamiliar settings without the assistance of additional guides. Its incredible how all this is tracked and we do not even think about it. In the article a further reference was made that no information was ever wasted. For example a businessman has a breakfast where it is recorded what he ate… This alone we think as not a big deal but then think about it from a business point of view. Say a health insurance company was able to get that information and saw that the man had a double big Mac at McDonalds and this was a regular event, they may interrupt this as the man eating unhealthily and the health implications associated with such a diet and put up his premiums or decide not to insure him. So knowing all this now I think the article has made me aware and I am able to look more carefully at the bigger picture.
f) Yes I believe the results and findings of this paper. It was well written and all information was clearly given. It was well reference with over 60 credible looking references.
g) The Authors I believe used a Social Science Interpretive method in their research. Looking back to how they conducted their research I think this was the right method.
h) I learned that nothing I do really goes undetected. I learned that we live in a wonderful age of technology but I don’t think we are at all aware how far technology is being used to monitor EVERYTHING. I think we must become more self-aware so that we can make informed choices of what we choose to ALLOW to be monitored. We should be made aware at Point Of Sale that certain devices/software and some everyday items such as debit/credit cards, GPS and navigation can and will be used to monitor us.
May 2, 2009
Categories: Assignment, Assignment 2a . Tags: database, digital footprint . Author: notalwaysblond . Comments: Leave a Comment
