Big data: perspectives and implications

Opinion on Big Data

As Pariser (2011) points out, the web has become increasingly personalized and we are unlikely to see many different perspectives as a result. For that reason, social media platforms have become increasingly important in the political sphere in recent years. They offer a unique way to reach out to voters and gain insights into public opinion. However, they also present a new challenge in terms of safeguarding against manipulation.

For example, political analysts can use big data analytics to target individuals with tailored information and advertisements. This can have the effect of skewing public opinion in undesirable ways. And thus the question then arises: who should be responsible for ensuring that these activities don\\\\\\\'t succeed?

One possible answer is that the government should act to regulate social media platforms (Balkin, 2021). By regulating social media platforms, the government can help to ensure that these platforms are used for positive purposes. For example, the government could require social media companies to take action against hate speech and fake news. In addition, the government could create guidelines for how social media platforms should handle user data.