Big Data & Privacy

Some customers may find it odd when a store knows a lot about them simply by collecting data on what you do on their websites and the products you purchase. Amazon.com is a leader in collecting, storing, processing and analyzing personal information including web surfing patterns from you and every other customer as a means of determining how customers are shopping online and spending their money. The company uses this information with predictive analytics for targeted marketing to increase customer satisfaction and build company loyalty. They also use this data to make personalized offers and even adjust pricing for different customers. Some critics feel that without explicit permission from consumers this type of data collection and usage is unethical whereas others feel that this helps Amazon better serve their customers by tailoring their offerings to meet your needs.

Do some quick additional research on this topic and then take a position on this issue: (1) Web surfing and deep data collection of a customer by an e-commerce company is OK as it helps the company to serve the customer better by understanding their needs.

(2) This type of data collection without explicit permission from the customer is an invasion of privacy and must be regulated.

Make a major post of your opinion on this topic based on your research. Please post citations/weblinks of interesting articles that you may have found at the end of your main post.