FTC warns of using big data to exclude consumers

Federal Trade Commission Chairwoman Edith Ramirez said the collection and analysis of big data holds great promise, but may also lead some companies to create profiles of consumers leading to discrimination.

The FTC is "committed to rigorous enforcement" of current law related to data privacy and discriminatory practices, but companies, US policymakers and other groups need to have a deeper discussion about fair big data practices, Chairwoman Ramirez said. Big data "has the capacity to save lives, improve education, enhance government services, increase marketplace efficiency and boost economic productivity," Chairwoman Ramirez added. "But the same analytic power that makes it easier to predict the outbreak of a virus, identify who is likely to suffer a heart attack, or improve the delivery of social services, also has the capacity to reinforce disadvantages faced by low-income and underserved communities."