Hyroquu

This post is a review of the second chapter of Data for the People by Andreas Weigend. Let me know your thoughts.

The second chapter traverses from an initial introduction to basic terms and the introduction of digital literacy to understanding how the digital community maintains itself. An exploration of digital identity, anonymity, and how a digital society ensures accountability of its users. Weigend maintains the themes of transparency and agency yet does not necessarily expand upon the skills of digital literacy.

Weigend begins with “Character and Characteristics” to outline the detriment of privacy protections to the notion of transparency and therefore agency. Value cannot exist without transparency and value. It also runs counter to a historical human need to hold parties accountable for social behaviors determined to be taboo. Weigend does this by tracing the evolution of privacy from a village or hamlet to the metropolis to the social media frameworks that consume the lives of many now.

Privacy is an illusion, Weigend asserts as he details anonymity only truly existed in the onset of the internet. The introduction of ecommerce, search engines, and the need to maintain these services without a cost resulted in the first initial data trade for value. Our identity from birth to death is measured, evaluated, and aggregated maintaining our anonymity is an impossible feat.

Yet, users of the digital spaces still use pseudonyms or usernames, despite the underlying knowledge it only serves as a minor flimsy mask. These usernames have expanded into social media to take on new and different personas. Personal affectations split, diced, and separated for the consumption of others. Though in the context of the data refinery (DR) they are diligently our single identity through this fragmentation of self with the collected digital traces and now our physical digital traces.

Weigend’s accurately describes the usage of usernames and introduces the concept of trust. Any social interaction requires an iota of trust since a person may be influenced by that interaction. How is honesty maintained? Weigend answers this by again supporting transparency. We should be allowed to determine intent by viewing metadata and digital traces of users. A warning is issued here, the age-old adage of “show me mine and show me yours” applies here as well as legal and ethical issues. We are essentially handing over our personalities to DRs and strangers. Who maintains our personalities and how does this infringe on our right to privacy and the interest of the public? These questions are unanswered by Weigend with an assertion more sophisticated tools are required.