Big Data, Ethics and Religion: New Questions from a New Science

Abstract

Hopes, fears, and ethical concerns relating to technology are as old as technology itself. When considering the increase in the power of computers, and their ever-more widespread use over recent decades, concerns have been raised about the social impact of computers and about practical issues arising from their use: the manner in which data is harvested, the preservation of confidentiality where people's personal information is concerned, the security of systems in which such data is stored, and so on. With the arrival of "big data" new ethical concerns surrounding computer-based technology arise-concerns connected not only with social issues, and with the generation of data and its security, but also with its interpretation by data scientists, and with the burgeoning trade in personal data. The first aim of this paper is to introduce some of these ethical issues, and the second is to suggest some possible ways in which they might be addressed. The latter includes some explorations of the ways in which insights from religious and theological perspectives might be valuable. It is urged that theology and data science might engage in mutually-beneficial dialogue.

Big Data in Qualitative Research

“…Additionally, risks to privacy have taken center stage in the context of the heightened invasiveness of many kinds of big data analysis. For instance, analysis with combined data sets based on geographic location and internet-based sources has been identified as potentially intrusive, even when such data are supposedly anonymous (Fuller, 2017). Regrettably, data are not always used in empowering or emancipatory ways for research participants, and in social contexts beyond academic purposes.…”

“…Therefore, many internet-based service providers who collect big data gain user consent through a "tick-the-box" form of agreement or consent. However, such agreements are typically oriented towards reducing risks and liabilities for those who are harvesting the data, with impracticably complex and lengthy terms and conditions that serve to obscure the participants' visibility over the use of their data (Fuller, 2017). As Wilbanks (2014, p. 235) has noted, internet service providers regularly attempt to minimize the ability of the data sharer "to comprehend the scope of data, and its usage, through a mixture of sharp design and obscure legal jargon".…”

“…Some argue that detailed profiles of individuals can be generated from users' digital footprints-a phenomenon called dataveillance (Fuller, 2017;Raley, 2013). While the use of such monitoring data is useful for security services and official agencies to protect individuals from harm (e.g.…”

The COVID-19 Pandemic and the Interest in Prayer and Spirituality in Poland According to Google Trends Data in the CONTEXT of the Mediatisation of Religion Processes

“…The use of Internet tools and Big Data technologies to study religion is one of many ways in which the mediatisation of religion is manifested. This concept is widely described in the literature and includes issues such as research to identify the interests of global youth or to explore the position of religion in their lives (Micó-Sanz et al 2021); it also recognises the ethical problems associated with generating and interpreting data and proposes solutions to these problems based on a combination of theology and data science (Fuller 2017).…”

Açık Veri Ekolojisi: "Veri Devrimi"ni Gazetecilik Perspektifinden Okumak

“…2020) görülmektedir. Ayrıca birçok çalışma büyük veriye eleştirel bir tutumla yaklaşarak büyük veriyi etik boyutta tartışmaktadır (Işıklı, 2014;Richards ve King, 2014;Fuller, 2017;Richterich, 2018;Chen ve Quan-Haase, 2020). Büyük veri çalışmaları gazetecilik perspektifinden daha çok gazeteciliğin dönüşümü, büyük verilerin gazetecilikte nasıl kullanılacağı ve veri gazeteciliği çerçevesinde gerçekleştirilmektedir (Doğu, 2015;Narin vd.…”