Data Mining Is Data Mining Evil?

Abstract

Revealing its origins and widespread use in business, data mining goes by many names, including knowledge management, knowledge discovery, and sense making. 1 Data mining is " [a]n information extraction activity whose goal is to discover hidden facts contained in databases. " 2 In other words, data mining involves the systematic analysis of large data sets using automated methods. By probing data in this manner, it is possible to prove or disprove existing hypotheses or ideas regarding data or information, while discovering new or previously unknown information. In particular, unique or valuable relationships between and within the data can be identified and used proactively to categorize or anticipate additional data. Through the use of exploratory graphics in combination with advanced statistics, machine learning tools, and artificial intelligence, critical " nuggets " of information can be mined from large repositories of data. Further confounding the question of whether to acquire data mining technology is the heated debate regarding not only its value in the public safety community but also whether data mining reflects an ethical, or even legal, approach to the analysis of crime and intelligence data. The discipline of data mining came under fire in the Data Mining Moratorium Act of 2003. Unfortunately, much of the debate that followed has been based on misinformation and a lack of knowledge regarding these very important tools. Like many of the devices used in public safety, data mining and predictive analytics can confer great benefit and enhanced public safety through their judicious deployment and use. Similarly, these same assets also can be misused or employed for unethical or illegal purposes. One of the harshest criticisms has addressed important privacy issues. It has been suggested that data mining tools threaten to invade the privacy of unknowing citizens and unfairly target them for invasive 25