Newsmakers

Sanjiv Das, William and Janice Terry Professor of Finance and Business Analytics, wrote an op-ed appearing in Zócalo Public Square on how big data can help people make more efficient decisions about who is a friend or foe.

An excerpt from the piece:
The more data Amazon has on your buying patterns and preferences, the more accurate its customer segmentation algorithms will prove, and the more the retailer can treat you like an individual, instead of as a stereotype. That is the promise of big data.

This raises the question of if and how big data can help the rest of us in other situations. For example, could we leverage big data to solve the problem of the stranger walking behind us? Will there be some sci-fi solution where our phone scans for everyone around and then your smartwatch will give you the threat assessment using a green, yellow, or red alert based on your own level of fear and paranoia? Advances in wearable sensor technology could detect patterns in the way the stranger moves to determine danger, without violating anyone’s privacy through use of personal data. For example, observing the movements of a person behind you may reveal if you are being followed closely, or if he is carrying a weapon with him, or if he is lurching at you to attack you.

Find the full piece here»

Learn more about Professor Sanjiv Das»