The Promise of Big Data: Climate, Justice, and Governance in Big Data
Written by Lucija Ajvazoski
This article is based on an insightful interview with Nhi Corcoran, founder and CEO of Nū Data, and CJ Knoble, Ph.D. Environmental Science and Management at Montclair State University. For exclusive insights and full interview clips, make sure to follow us on social media.
Big data is a buzzword we hear often, does anybody know what it really means?
Every day we interact with it - often without realizing. When we open Google Maps, it`s not just helping us navigate - it tracks our movement, anticipates our next step, and collects data along the way. Think about the last time you ordered food on an app - it didn't just record your order - it logged our location, preferences, and favourite spots. These aren't mere interactions - they are data points that contribute to a vast, continuously growing system of information that's constantly being collected. What happens with all of this information, and how much do we actually understand the implications of big data? We spoke to CJ Knoble, e, to explore the potential, challenges and solutions of big data. Together, we`ll dive into the ways big data is reshaping not only our world but also the health of our planet, with a particular focus on its role in advancing sustainability.
“Every micro interaction that you have on those platforms is enough to inform their algorithms about who you are and what you're interested in. That's a very classic example of people contributing to big data.” - CJ Knoble
What is Big Data, really?
At its essence, big data is simply large, complex sets of information - so vast that traditional data-processing methods struggle to keep up. Think about every click, tap and search you make online. Behind these activities there is data collection going on - all the time. As CJ Knoble points out: “People are thinking about AI and machine learning as things that are so novel and they're recent, but it is all just statistics on large sets of data. That is all that it is. And it's got fun new buzzwords, which is exciting, but that is all that we are talking about.”.
This vast sea of data drives everything from predictive algorithms to personalized experiences, like how Netflix seems to know exactly what you want to watch next. That's big data at work. CJ explains: “People that use social media often will talk about how they get very targeted ads for some reason. They cannot figure it out, and a lot of the time that is just based on massive data sets that have been collected on you and people around you, people like you. Those data sets have been getting collected for so long on so many different users.”
Big data isn`t just our online habits - it encompasses all sorts of information - from your personal search history to global climate data. What sets big data apart is its unprecedented scale and potential. It allows us to uncover patterns and trends that were previously unimaginable. CJ highlights: “Things that were not really available are now very accessible. It's the same way that 50 years ago, sequencing the human genome was something that was extraordinarily difficult, and time-consuming, but today it's something that we can do a little bit quicker.” Big data represents an entirely new frontier for understanding and analyzing the world, opening up new possibilities that were once beyond reach.
Big Data in Action
Why does that one Google search haunt our feed, or how does Netflix seem to predict our next binge-watch with such accuracy? Every click, search, or purchase feeds algorithms that create a detailed profile of who we are. For businesses, this is behavioral targeting at its finest: using data to predict what products we’ll buy, which ads we’ll click, and even what we’ll watch next. But what does this mean for us, and how can we harness this data, especially through the lens of sustainability?
Big Data doesn't just target consumers - it's also being used in ways that have a deeper societal impact. CJ mentions: “Every time somebody goes to a subway in New York and they swipe into a subway turn style, that is a data point that is being recorded all across the city. This is helping the MTA to track users to track congestion to figure out which subway stations are getting the most use and the least use. This is how they are actually keeping track of their urban infrastructure.” Similarly, smart trash bins are collecting data to optimize waste management while fitness trackers gather data that help us achieve our health goals - often encouraging healthier behaviors, like biking over driving. In these ways, Big Data is driving smarter, more efficient cities and fostering healthier, more sustainable lifestyles.
Yet, sometimes the data we unknowingly provide can have unintended consequences. Remember the case of Strava: a fitness app that accidentally revealed the location of secret military bases by showing highly frequented running routes near sensitive military installations. Or consider how Facebook`s massive data collection can predict things about us that even our closest friends might not know - such as emotional state or political beliefs. Research conducted by Cambridge University and Microsoft Research demonstrated how the patterns of Facebook likes can accurately predict sexual orientation, emotional stability, religion, relationships status, age, gender, race and political views (Kosinski et al., 2013). This same data was later exploited in the Cambridge Analytica scandal, where personal data was used to target political ads and potentially influence elections, emphasising serious privacy concerns.
These examples make us wonder: how much of the data we generate is being used for our benefit, and how much is being harnessed without our full understanding? As we continue to navigate a world driven by big data, it's important to explore both its potential and the ethical implications it brings, especially in relation to sustainability, privacy, and control.
Metaverse: The case of Tuvalu
Tuvalu, a small island nation in the Pacific Ocean, is on the brink of disappearing due to rising sea levels. Every day, its people face the reality that their homes, history, and culture may soon be lost. As a result, there have been efforts to preserve Tuvalu's culture and land through digital means, particularly in virtual spaces - the metaverse. They are creating a digital replica of Tuvalu, allowing people to experience the island’s landscapes and culture before they disappear. As CJ emphasises, the goal is not just to preserve the land but to safeguard the culture. Nhi Corcoran reflects on this, stating, “It's preservation, but it's also trying to capture culture, which is dynamic that changes with each interpretation.” This dynamic nature is at the heart of the efforts to preserve Tuvalu's culture. As CJ Knoble explains:
"This is a country that is being lost to climate change, and it is something that cannot be recreated."
Can you imagine your city sinking beneath the sea, but you can experience the past life - not just the beaches, streets, your favourite spots, but cultural essence - traditions, language, community spaces? It is all available on your phone even though it’s physically gone.
By creating a digital twin the global community, and future generations can learn about Tuvalu’s rich culture and history. This way the metaverse becomes a tool for education and remembrance - a way to raise awareness about climate change while offering cultural legacy in digital form. But there’s a bigger conversation here. Who controls that data? In this case, the people of Tuvalu are taking the lead in the creation of the digital twin, ensuring their culture is captured authentically. As Nhi Corcoran says, “It should be normal for platforms to give power and control to the communities most affected.” By putting their memories and stories front and center, the people of Tuvalu are taking ownership of how their culture is represented and shared. CJ Knoble further emphasises this, saying:
“The times that I have seen the most effective use of big data in good data governance is often when there is, in a sense, less data governance. And what I mean by that is that the power is handed back to communities.”
Hot take: Tuvalu - Great Innovation or Distracting fantasy?
At its core, is this innovation a band-aid on a gaping wound, a temporary escape from a much more profound and pressing issue? The idea is so cool and sexy, but are we giving the illusion of some security and existence?
Illusion of preservation vs. real solutions - preserving the planet, not just memories?
Might the resources invested in creating digital replicas of disappearing places be better spent on actual solutions? By dedicating significant resources to digital preservation, are we diverting attention and funding away from efforts to tackle the root cause of the problem: climate change? The world would rather immortalize Tuvalu in a virtual metaverse than actually save the physical island. But at what cost - massive, energy-draining data centers that contribute to the very climate crisis threatening this land?
Resignation?
By emphasising the preservation in the metaverse do we risk normalizing the loss of physical lands and cultures? Could accepting the inevitability of Tuvalu’s demise undermine global urgency to combat climate change, inadvertently fostering apathy or resignation? We could be running the risk of fostering apathy or resignation, when what we desperately need is a revitalized sense of crisis. When we speak of preserving landscapes and cultures in the metaverse, can it inadvertently diminish the gravity of the situation? Instead of sounding alarms, should we start to normalize the idea that the physical world can be abandoned as long as we still have the "illusion" of it in digital form?
If we are all gone, who would have use of it?
About Charles Knoble:
Charles "CJ" Knoble is a Ph.D. candidate in Environmental Science and Management at Montclair State University, specializing in GIS and environmental justice research. CJ's published research focuses on leveraging socially sensed big data and critical GIS frameworks to identify and mitigate environmental disparities while maintaining a critical eye toward data justice. CJ’s professional background includes roles as a GIS Consultant and Sustainability Project Manager, where he has led interdisciplinary projects assessing equity around emissions exposure and environmental justice impacts of alternative fuel vehicle adoption.
About the author:
Lucija Ajvazoski Ajvazoski is a political science student at the Faculty of Political Science of Zagreb. Her work focuses on leveraging creative strategies to provoke thought, foster empathy and deliver impactful experiences. Lucija has experience in public relations, project management and crafting engaging content, with a strong commitment to continuous growth and development in these areas.
Sources:
Bestarion. (2024, August 20). How Facebook is Using Big Data - Bestarion. Bestarion. https://bestarion.com/how-facebook-is-using-big-data/#:~:text=Work%20conducted%20by%20researchers%20at,%2C%20gender%2C%20race%2C%20and%20political
Bhuiyan, J. (2024, January 25). Amazon Ring says US police will now need warrant to access user footage. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/jan/24/police-warrant-amazon-ring-footage
Favaretto, M., De Clercq, E., Schneble, C. O., & Elger, B. S. (2020). What is your definition of Big Data? Researchers’ understanding of the phenomenon of the decade. PLoS ONE, 15(2), e0228987. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0228987
Hern, A. (2018, April 14). Fitness tracking app Strava gives away the location of secret US army bases. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/28/fitness-tracking-app-gives-away-location-of-secret-us-army-bases
Kosinski, M., Stillwell, D., & Graepel, T. (2013). Private traits and attributes are predictable from digital records of human behavior. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 110(15), 5802–5805. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1218772110
Pence, H. E. (2014). What is Big Data and Why is it Important? Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 43(2), 159–171. https://doi.org/10.2190/et.43.2.d
