To my knowledge, big data is a method of gathering information about everyone who uses the internet. This is achieved by monitoring what sites people go to and allows for analysts such as those regarded in “The Big Idea Behind Big Data” by Adam Frank. Some analysts use this in order to market products to people based on their footprint they leave behind as they traverse the internet. I have noticed this can be useful for suggesting items I wish to purchase, even if I never explicitly searched for them. At the moment I cannot recall any particular downsides, although I’m sure they exist.
I think that is a good generalization of what big data is. I think that personalized marketing is a very conflicting idea. In essence, it is a breach of privacy as it reviews cookies and all that. On the other hand, it is very valuable because it allows retailers to give us ads for what we want at a given time. I know you noted that it is useful, but do you think that personalized marketing is good or bad? I might suggest that a downside for Big Data is that the collection of information that exists could ruin lives. If that info gets into the hands of the wrong people they could steal our information. All in all, I think you gave an effective analysis of Adam Frank’s “The Big Idea Behind Big Data.”