In the last decade, growing concern has emerged among users and governments regarding the privacy implications of big data. The collection and use of user data have become increasingly controversial, often encroaching upon fundamental norms of privacy and individual freedom.
With rapid digitization, an unprecedented amount of data is being collected every day—frequently without users’ explicit consent. There remains a lack of transparency around the background processes of data collection and use. In 2018, the Cambridge Analytica scandal revealed how Facebook collected vast amounts of personal data, including call records and microphone access, without informed consent. Fast forward to 2024, and similar concerns are surfacing around AI-powered tools like OpenAI’s Sora and Google’s Gemini. While these platforms promise improved user experience and automation, privacy advocates argue that the sheer scale of behavioral and contextual data being fed into these systems—often with unclear permissions—continues to blur ethical boundaries.
More recently, in early 2025, controversy erupted over the popular video editing app “Morphix” that quietly collected facial movement data from its users to train deepfake generation models. Although the app had vague terms of service, most users were unaware that their biometric data could be repurposed for generative AI. This incident reignited debates over whether informed consent can truly exist in an age of algorithmic complexity.
The use and misuse of such data by tech companies and governments raise additional red flags. A key concern remains the commodification and sale of user data. In the aftermath of the 2024 Indian general elections, investigations found that third-party political marketing firms had acquired user behavior data through partnerships with shopping and fitness apps—enabling highly targeted political ads that some argued bordered on voter manipulation. This pattern of unregulated data use illustrates a persistent problem: users remain unaware of the trajectory their personal data follows after collection.
The stakes are even higher with the integration of big data into artificial intelligence and predictive systems. For example, predictive policing tools, piloted in parts of the U.S. and U.K. in 2024, came under fire after reports suggested they disproportionately flagged marginalized communities based on biased historical datasets. These developments highlight not just privacy concerns but broader societal risks such as discrimination, misinformation, and erosion of democratic processes.
In conclusion, the unchecked collection and use of big data raise serious ethical and legal concerns that call for immediate attention. As artificial intelligence becomes more deeply embedded in daily life, we must ask: Who owns the data? The fight for digital privacy and freedom hinges on this fundamental question. In its current unregulated state, the tech landscape presents a grey zone—one where personal autonomy, privacy, and democratic values are increasingly at stake.
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