Bring Your Own Device–But Carefully!

Coach is Right ^ | 6/25/14 | Michael D. Shaw

[Oldpuppymax]

For many people, the 2013 feature Terms And Conditions May Apply was their introduction into just how extensive and invasive data collection has become. It is all “voluntary,” of course, based on their agreement to software/app, website, and search engine terms and conditions. Even worse, is what the consumers of Big Data do with this information.

Powerful computers and specialized programs allow virtually endless data dredging, whereby large volumes of information are analyzed seeking any possible relationships between data, occasionally for unethical purposes. Such practices can result in relatively benign consequences, such as seeing ads for various drugs and media appear in your browser, after making searches on “diabetes.” But you could also post a silly suggestive remark on a social media site, and experience a nasty interaction with law enforcement—based on ridiculously premature conclusions being drawn—hours later. Indeed, such horror stories are detailed in the movie.

Whoever said that data dredging is “seeking more information from a data set than it actually contains” was definitely onto something.

At least, all this is being done, in theory, with your consent, as you agreed to the...

[RatRipper]

“Voluntary” in the same sense that the government touts our tax collection system as being “voluntary”.

[PoloSec]

"But you could also post a silly suggestive remark on a social media site, and experience a nasty interaction with law enforcement"

All freepers are are subject to invasion by the gestapo regime's acronymic security forces, NSA, FBI, CIA, HLS et. al. if you ever posted a negative comment about the obamanation regime, and be it known, justice in this regime has evolved into something of a myth.

Everywhere you go electronically we are subject to terms and conditions, whether you agree or not, from now on;  it's too late to worry about it!  IMO

btw I know acronymic is not a real word...

[ChiefJayStrongbow]

People need to read the Software License agreements on Turbo Tax and Tax Cut.

They basically indicate that they will be uploading your 1040 with all your personal financial data and will hold it in countries that are outside the US privacy laws.

[ken in texas]

btw I know acronymic is not a real word...

This is FreeRepublic. It can be a word if we want it to be. :)

[DannyTN]

"btw I know acronymic is not a real word... "

Well, you've used it. So now it's a real word. At least by the rules of the State of Louisiana, which I grew up with.

[Bob]

By the rules of Calvinball as well. :=)

[tbw2]

Bring your own device is fine when it is in your purse or pocket except to check personal messages or surf as you’d like at lunch.
But using your own device for work is dangerous for all parties.
For example, if you accidentally click on a malware link in your personal email, the hackers could potentially gain access to work related messages.
Bring your own device blurs the distinction between personal and professional. It tends to lead to people on call 24x7, when you can’t prevent a boss from calling / paging by leaving the work phone at home.
If you agree to “bring your own device” and then have an inadvertent data spill, viewing restricted data on that device, then the IT procedure of wiping the device and related file storage locations could wipe out your personal files.