Jim Balsillie, retired co-CEO of Research In Motion and chair of the Ontario Centre for International Governance Innovation, testified today at the hearings of the International Grand Committee on Big Data, Privacy and Democracy being held in Ottawa. Politicians from Canada and 10 other countries have gathered to consider how best to protect citizens’ privacy and their democracies in the age of big data and social media.
I’ll start with several observations about the nature, scale and breadth of our collective challenge here. Second, social media’s toxicity is not a bug — it’s a feature. Technology works exactly as designed. Technology products, services and networks are not built in a vacuum. Usage patterns drive product development decisions. Behavioral scientists involved with today’s platforms helped design user experiences that capitalize on negative reactions because they produce far more engagement than positive reactions.
scmackintosh Exactly well put improper use of data can have explosive results.
Hey Jim, I’ve got a NHL team for sale if you’re interested.