How Big Data Is Creeping Into My Life

Index

Before I Knew The World Of Big Data

Before I ever understood the world of Big Data, it was already quietly weaving itself into my daily life. I can give nine examples of how Big Data is entering my life in ways I can’t really control, and honestly, I could list many more. These nine examples, however, paint a clear picture of how deeply Big Data influences everyday life. Big Data is here to stay. It has the potential to benefit society, but only if it is used responsibly, with privacy and ethics guarded and high on the agenda.

Surveys & Big Data

Surveys are being used more than ever to measure all kinds of things. In the early days, surveys asked respondents almost everything, long lists of personal and demographic questions were completely normal. After privacy legislation was introduced, surveys became more focused, asking only what was necessary to improve a service, evaluate a shop, or make changes in a neighborhood for the benefit of the people living, working, or spending time there. Paper surveys are usually anonymous because they are handed out and collected on-site, without personal questions. With modern privacy regulations, online surveys must also remain anonymous, even when distributed through research panels.

Mobile Apps & Big Data

For me, apps first appeared on mobile phones. Today, they are everywhere, on tablets, laptops, and many other electronic devices. Each app sets its own privacy rules, which means I am responsible for protecting my own privacy. How to fully manage that, I still don’t know. To use an app, I have to agree to its terms, even if I’m unsure how it handles my data. A good example is the PressReader app, which I use through my library membership. To access it, I need to connect to the library’s Wi-Fi. That feels risky, because I use the same device for my work. I wonder how the PressReader app interacts with my device when it requires access to public Wi-Fi networks so I can read newspapers online. Can I trust that the library’s Wi-Fi is safe enough to use on my device, and that it won’t compromise the data stored on it?

Groceries & Big Data

I enjoy ordering groceries online, although I don’t do it very often. I like being able to browse the store at my own pace and stick to a set budget while shopping. There is one thing I don’t like, though: when my groceries are delivered, the delivery person sometimes stops to chat with my neighbors, and meanwhile my meat starts to thaw, which raises concerns about bacteria and food safety.

House Paint & Big Data

I love that my local ‘bouwmarkt’ can mix any paint color I want using just the basic primary colors. I simply choose the color and the amount I need, place my order, and a few hours later or a day later the paint comes out of the mixing machine. This wouldn’t be possible without Big Data: the exact color codes and the precise amounts of each primary color are stored in the system, and the machine follows those instructions perfectly. Big Data also helps the store manage its stock. The system knows when one of the primary colors is running low and needs to be reordered, ensuring they can always produce the paint colors customers request. And when I need more paint later, I can easily reorder the exact same color again.

COVID & Big Data

During the COVID pandemic, the need for reliable online data became essential. Everything focused on protecting public health and slowing the spread of the virus. Now that COVID is more “tamed,” privacy and ethics must return to the forefront. How to protect the data that was collected during the crisis? And how to ensure that future data collection, during another large outbreak, respects privacy and ethical standards from the start? These are big questions, and they need answers quickly.

Public Transport & Big Data

I’m glad that I can use my OV‑pass on all forms of public transport in The Netherlands. About a day after traveling, I can see exactly where I went and how much it cost. One public transport company even surprised me by giving unsolicited advice about which type of OV‑pass would be most suitable for me. The advice was helpful, but it made me wonder: did I agree to this somewhere in the privacy terms when I bought my OV‑pass? It also raises a bigger question: how else is public transport using my data? Of course, data is essential for planning routes and determining frequency, and I benefit from that. But it still makes me think about how my travel information is being used behind the scenes.

Travel & Big Data

I recently read in the newspaper that Schiphol is cancelling flights. Passengers on those flights need to be informed by the travel agency or airline they booked with. These cancellations involve large numbers of people, far more than a few phone calls. So who is responsible for contacting everyone? And how is my privacy protected in that process? My phone number, name, and flight details are all linked together. That is personal data, and there are strict rules about how it may be used. Situations like this make me wonder how well those rules are followed when large-scale cancellations happen.

The Library & Big Data

The library can function a bit like bol.com or Amazon. In my membership settings, I can tick a box that allows the library to recommend books similar to the ones I’ve already read. I appreciate that this option is voluntary: the data is only combined when I choose to enable it. And if I change my mind, I can simply untick the box again.

Post & Big Data

Postal delivery services are now almost entirely digital. I can track and trace my parcel from the moment it is shipped until it reaches my door. Some delivery companies are so advanced that I can even change the delivery location or the delivery time. This means I no longer have to stay home all day waiting for a package, I can simply pick it up at a nearby collection point on my way home. It’s incredibly convenient.

Life & Big Data

There are many more Big Data collectors involved in my daily life, and probably in the lives of all Dutch people. In the blog 'What is Big Data?' I share a few additional examples of how Big Data is woven into everyday routines.

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