PERSONAL INFORMATION COLLECTION:

A TRADE-OFF ANALYSIS

Shannon P. January 25, 2014

BENEFITS

VS

PRIVACY ISSUES

Genetic Testing

DATA MINING

&

GENETIC TESTING

DATA MINING AND GENETIC TESTING

• Data mining and genetic testing can allow others to know more about a person than the person knows about themselves.

• These methods of information collection may be used beneficially, but also may create serious privacy violations.

• Their value is dependant on a person’s right to control the use of their personal information being upheld.

GENETIC TESTING

Genetic testing involves taking

biological samples from a person to find out if their

genes may be linked to a health

condition, or to identify changes in

a person’s DNA.

BENEFITS OF GENETIC TESTING

• Detects genetic abnormities caused by workplace toxins.• Provides alerts to

workplace hazards.

• Uncovers predispositions to certain illnesses,• including

predispositions to illnesses linked to workplace substances.

PRIVACY CONCERNS

• Employers may decide that an employee is too much of a risk based on a DNA test.

• Serious concerns exist that genetic testing will lead to discrimination.

• Potentially violates a person’s right not to know.

DATA MINING

Data mining is the processes of turning raw data into useful

information by collecting, searching

 through, and analyzing large

volumes of data for patterns and relationships.

BENEFITS OF DATA MINING

• Ability to quickly and easily analyze large quantities of data.

• Provides valuable information to businesses.

• Helps detect fraud and other criminal activities.

PRIVACY CONCERNS

• What happens to the information once it is collected?• We do not know who has access to our information.

• Government security measures may violate privacy rights. • Governments use data mining to gather

intelligence.

• How far will companies go?• Recent Bell data mining controversy.

CONCLUSION

• Data mining and genetic testing both give us access to unprecedented amounts of information.

• Whether this information is beneficial or represents a privacy violation depends an person’s ability to control the use and collection of their own information.

• It is important that we stay informed and hold companies and governments accountable for their use of our information.

WORKS CITEDBraga, M. &. (2013, June 12). Gag orders’ could prevent Canadian telecoms from speaking openly about potential government data-mining. Retrieved from Financial Post: http://business.financialpost.com/2013/06/12/gag-orders-could-prevent-canadian-telecoms-from- speaking-openly-about-potential-government-data-mining-programs/?__lsa=3af3-2612Cavoukian, A. (2013, January 16). Preserving the Privacy of Genetic Information. Retrieved from http://www.ipc.on.ca/images/Resources/2013-01-16-UofT-Biotech.pdfData Mining. (n.d.). Retrieved from Investopedia: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/datamining.aspData Mining. (2013). Retrieved from Dictionnary.com: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/data+miningGenetic Information, the Life and Health Insurance Industry and the Protection of Personal Information: Framing the Debate. (2012, December 21). Retrieved from Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada: http://www.priv.gc.ca/information/research-recherche/2012/gi_intro_e.aspGenetic testing and screening. (2013, February 5). Retrieved from Government of Canada: http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/health-sante/pregnancy-grossesse/gen-test-eng.phpHarper, J. (2007, January 10). Balancing Privacy and Security: The Privacy Implications of Government Data Mining Programs. Retrieved from Cato Institute: http://www.cato.org/publications/congressional- testimony/balancing-privacy-security-privacy-implications-government-data-mining-programsHendricks, D. (2013, March 21). How Businesses Can Benefit from Data Mining. Retrieved from TMCnet: http://www.tmcnet.com/topics/articles/2013/03/21/331429-how-businesses-benefit-from-data- mining.htmMunroe, I. (2013, October 30). Bell data collection part of ‘disturbing trend’. Retrieved from CBC News: http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/bell-data-collection-part-of-disturbing-trend-1.2223949MacDonald, C., & Williams-Jones, B. (2002). Ethics and Genetics: Susceptibility Testing in the Workplace. Retrieved from Canadian Bioethics Society: http://biotechethics.ca/wgt/index.html

MY INSTRUCTOR’S COMMENTARY ON MY PRESENTATION

My instructor was kind enough to give us audio

feedback on our presentations. These are her

comments regarding my presentation.