Data mining is the federal use of customized programs and technology to access private information amongst people in an attempt to enhance security. This is mostly done in populated and busy areas like airports and huge transport terminals.
In my opinion, data mining is unconstitutional. Despite the fact that most of the constitutional statutes are implicated in data mining, usage of data mining it breaches the fourth amendment of the same constitution. Besides the fact that the government must use every tactic to fight crime, I must do these strategies within the stipulated constitution. Data mining is non-selective and it subjects the lives of citizens into a great risk and compromise. According to Jeffrey Rosen, a new professor at George Washington University refers to the fourth amendment of the constitution which guarantees freedom against searches and hostages that are not reasonable (Grant 2003).
Data mining infringes the issue of privacy because it exposes private information. Using such information for analysis is wrong because it unveils confidential information that could be used for more than the intended purpose.
Use of data mining is dangerous because it undermines both security and privacy. For example, is the blockbusters, a movie company that collected customer data on tastes and preferences which it used for advertising. Additionally, such information could be shared which subjects people’s security into risk, especially if it ends up in the hands of burglars (Karl et al 2010).
The main purpose of data mining is to enhance security. The current form of data mining compromises both security and liberty since it does not differentiate between the liberty and security (Taipale 2003). The government should develop programs and technological measures that only ensure selective passenger screening. These programs should restrict the flow of information such that it does not get into the wrong people.
References:
Grant Gross, IDG News (2003). Privacy Groups Fight Government Data Mining: Agencies see value in data analysis, others see intrusion. Retrieved: http://www.pcworld.com/article/109985/privacy_groups_fight_government_data_mining.html
Karl Rexer, Heather Allen, & Paul Gearan (2010). 2010 Data Miner Survey Summary , presented at Predictive Analytics World, Oct. 2010.
Taipale K.A (2003). Data Mining and Domestic Security: Connecting the Dots to Make Sense of Data . Columbia Science and Technology Law Review
