STA 290 Seminar Series
Thursday, October 29th, 4:10pm, MSB 1147 (Colloquium Room)
Refreshments at 3:30pm in MSB 4110 (Statistics Lounge)
Speaker: Martin Hilbert (Dept. Communication, UC Davis)
Title: Big Data, Big Opportunities, Big Threats
Abstract: With over 99% of all of human kinds’ technologically mediated information in digital format, and a mobile penetration of 98% worldwide, the digitalization of human interaction produces an impressively detailed digital footprint of society. Big Data has turned the social sciences from a traditionally data-poor science into arguably the most data-complete science to date. This renders many traditional survey and data collection and production processes obsolete. It also provides unprecedented opportunities for practicioners and researchers. At the same time, automated decision making has started to threaten established values of society, including practices of algorithm - based discrimination and the fostering of extremism. This presentation will present examples of both opportunities and threats to open the discussion about the ongoing paradigm shift in our relation to data.