97 Things About Ethics Everyone in Data Science Should Know

Chapter 31. Just Because You Could, Should You? Ethically Selecting Data for Analytics

Steve Stone

Founder, NSU Techologies & Former CIO, Lowe’s and Limited Brands

As I am writing, my state is entering week four of a mandatory stay-at-home order because of COVID-19. Like many other Americans, I look to multiple news sources and infographics to better understand the linkage between science and policy, and between data and action. Also, I have found fantastic sources of public data that I pull down daily to analyze using various tools.

A few weeks ago, two companies, X-Mode and Tectonix, joined forces to develop a visualization tracking the cell phone location data from Fort Lauderdale spring breakers who crowded beaches, ignoring social distancing guidelines. This widely seen visualization tracked the immense geographic spread of the spring breakers as they left Fort Lauderdale and returned to their campuses or homes.

It was an amazing demonstration and gave many in the general public their first glimpse of the immense power of analytics and data visualization. However, it also called into question the ethics and legality of tracking cell phone signals for purposes other than the phone owners intended. As we progress through the pandemic, we will face choices on balancing personal privacy against the goals of public safety. This dilemma is not a new one. Data scientists and analysts ...