Why privacy is not enough privacy in the context of “ubiquitous computing” and “big data”
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JICES-08-2013-0030 |
| Pages | 93-106 |
| Date | 06 May 2014 |
| Published date | 06 May 2014 |
| Author | Tobias Matzner |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Information management & governance |
Why privacy is not enough
privacy in the context of
“ubiquitous computing”
and “big data”
Tobias Matzner
International Centre for Ethics in the Sciences and Humanities,
University of Tu
¨bingen, Tu
¨bingen, Germany
Abstract
Purpose – Ubiquitous computing and “big data” have been widely recognized as requiring new
concepts of privacy and new mechanisms to protect it. While improved concepts of privacy have been
suggested, the paper aims to argue that people acting in full conformity to those privacy norms still
can infringe the privacy of others in the context of ubiquitous computing and “big data”.
Design/methodology/approach – New threats to privacy are described. Helen Nissenbaum’s
concept of “privacy as contextual integrity” is reviewed concerning its capability to grasp these
problems. The argument is based on the assumption that the technologies work, persons are fully
informed and capable of deciding according to advanced privacy considerations.
Findings – Big data and ubiquitous computing enable privacy threats for persons whose data are
only indirectly involved and even for persons about whom no data have been collected and processed.
Those new problems are intrinsic to the functionality of these new technologies and need to be
addressed on a social and political level. Furthermore, a concept of data minimization in terms of the
quality of the data is proposed.
Originality/value – The use of personal data as a threat to the privacy of others is established. This
new perspective is used to reassess and recontextualize Helen Nissenbaum’s concept of privacy. Data
minimization in terms of quality of data is proposed as a new concept.
Keywords Big data, Privacy,Privacy and politics, Privacy as contextualintegrity,
Ubiquitous computing
Paper type Conceptual paper
(1) Several authors have identified technological advances and the increasing and
widespread use of information technology as a primechallenge to prevailing concepts of
privacy.Tene and Polonetsky (2013), Langheinrich(2009, Sec. 2.2) and Nissenbaum(2010,
pp. 21-66) have collected various examples. This paper focuses on two particularly
problematic areasof technological development: “ubiquitous computing” and“big data”.
The term “ubiquitous computing” was coined in 1999 by Mark Weiser in a paper on
“The computer in the 21st century”. He described this new technology as “invisibly
enhancing the world that already exists” (Weiser, 1999, p. 3), i.e. computing device s that
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/1477-996X.htm
The research for this paper has been carried out within the research project “MuViT”, funded by
the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research. The author is very grateful for the
valuable advice given by Jessica Heesen and Simon Rogerson on earlier versions of this paper.
A preliminary version has been presented at the “Computer Ethics Philosophical Enquiries
(CEPE)” conference in Lisbon 2013. The author would like to extend his thanks to the
participants for their feedback and suggestions.
Received 23 August 2013
Revised 16 October 2013
Accepted 13 November 2013
Journal of Information,
Communication and Ethics in Society
Vol. 12 No. 2, 2014
pp. 93-106
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
1477-996X
DOI 10.1108/JICES-08-2013-0030
“Ubiquitous
computing” and
“big data”
93
To continue reading
Request your trial