Perhaps you have heard the terms “data mining” and “big data” before. As we enter Web 3.0, those terms will be more important than ever. With the invention of the internet, data gathering is easier than ever. However, that data creates an ocean of information, and selecting the right dataset from that ocean is akin to hunting the Moby Dick. That is where data mining comes in. A data miner uses artificial intelligence and statistics to analyze data and uncover information that is useful to them or to their customers.
Let's say you own a boutique that specializes in prom dresses. The prom season is coming and you want to sell as many dresses as possible. As a smart business owner, you decide that your target market is active on social media, so that is where you should advertise. The platform offers you a few choices for your ad. The site lets you choose female as the gender, 15 to 25 as the age group, and your city as the geographic area where your ad will appear. The reason social media platforms are able to do this is because we willingly give them our information. When we accept their “terms of agreement,” we allow them to use our data to be used in advertisements. This is how they make money, and we get to use their platform for free. We actually sell our personal information rather than pay a subscription fee to use social media.
This is one of the reasons why Mark Zuckerberg had to testify in Congress. The CEO was accused of sharing Facebook’s user data with others. The fact that several whistleblowers came forward later, saying the company was negligent if it did not benefit them directly, did not help him either. Therefore, Zuckerberg made sure that his metaverse initiative began working with NGOs right away to prevent future incidents like this. He claims that safety and privacy are top priorities in his metaverse efforts, but not everyone is biting. Some people are concerned about Facebook’s tainted privacy policy finding its way into the metaverse.
When two parties are in disagreement, everyone usually bears some of the blame. Without a doubt, companies with huge amounts of money behind them need to take proper care of user privacy and safety. However, the users themselves should also take responsibility. Rather than scrolling through terms of use pages as fast as we can, we should educate ourselves about the products we are using. The truth is, we have no control over what tech giants do with our data. What we do have control over is choosing what information we share with them. Everyone has a different view of what is considered personal information. As a metaverse user, think about your personal boundaries and use your best judgment. As a metaverse investor, however, more steps are required.
It is crucial to be aware of these topics, since
Web 3.0 will revolve around machine learning. Our data will be shared with machines so that they can adapt to us. Therefore, the subject of data mining will remain relevant, particularly in relation to government regulations. If you are considering investing in the metaverse, make sure you carefully review the terms of service of the company first. What is their policy regarding data gathering and third parties? What does their blockchain look like? What kind of protection does the metaverse have against attacks? Do your homework before investing in a company since these factors can severely impact its stock value.