Data: the king’s new crown
In Pakistan, use of Big Data analytics to gather information on potential issues can help us ‘see into the future’
The writer is a security analyst with 20 years of national and international experience
In the early 80s, Buckminster Fuller in his famous ‘Knowledge Doubling Curve’ found that knowledge doubled approximately every century up until 1900 but then the growth of knowledge accelerated dramatically. By the end of WWII, knowledge was replicating every 25 years. Currently human knowledge is exponentially doubling every 13 months. Today the data that we created from the beginning of time until 2000 is created in two days. IBM predicts that in future, knowledge will be doubling every 12 hours. The zettabytes of information available from sensors, photographs, text, voice and video data is revolutionising every field. Nations which create knowledge control the data and utilise this humungous information will be ahead of the pack in future. Ali Soufan, an ex-FBI officer who heads a think tank, goes further in his recent analytical update. He predicts that the future will be harnessed not by countries that have the most powerful armies, as we have historically seen, but by those nations which have best access to Big Data and a sophisticated understating of how to employ it.
Big Data refers to all the data that is collected traditionally (marketing surveys, call centres, customer transactions, sales, financial records) and digitally (social media, online orders, website activity, mobile data) and then utilised for our advantage across a wide range of areas. Big Data analysis is changing our world 360 degrees. Big businesses, politics, law-enforcement agencies, sports, healthcare sector, agriculture, etc, all are using this bottomless fountain of data for enhancing their influence, maximising competitive edge and multiplying their dividends.
Today, big businesses are thinking big, planning big and winning big with Big Data. The US retailer Target is able to predict when one of their clients will expect a baby, while Walmart can predict which products will sell in Christmas and New Year by studying the available data. In healthcare, the Big Data analysis of DNA can better predict the disease patterns and thus preventive measures can be taken at an early stage. Applying algorithms on the breathing and heart beating of premature babies, infections can be predicted 24 hours before any symptom appears. Big Data is used in sports too to track performance of individuals and teams. Sensors in sports equipment give feedback on how to improve the game, how to reduce injuries, how to optimise nutrition, etc. Big Data helps machines to become more autonomous and intelligent. California is using smart water metres to minimise water pilferage as the state is facing drought conditions. Big Data is the new oil boasting modern businesses to staggering heights.
Through Big Data analysis in law enforcement, the paradigm is shifting from reactive policing to proactive and predictive policing. It was the New York City Police that pioneered the art of using data to control crime. The CompStat (Computer Statistics), introduced by the deputy commissioner Jack Maple in 1994, was used to identify hotspots of crimes and ascertain spatial and temporal crime patterns. Between 1994 and 2012, the New York City showed 63% reduction in crime which was attributed to the use of CompStat. The NSA in the US is using Big Data to thwart the next terror attack while other LEAs use algorithms to prevent the next cyber attack. Smart cities use Big Data to predict traffic volumes and traffic signals automatically divert traffic to minimise congestions. Today data from CCTV cameras, automated LPRs (Licence Plate Readers), CompStat and radiation detectors can save lives of many by providing actionable intelligence and assisting in more informed decisions.
In politics, Big Data analysis is becoming a new normal. Obama win in 2012 Presidential Elections was accredited to his team superior ability to use Big Data. In 2016, US Presidential election, Russia reportedly manipulated Facebook data to influence the elections. Political parties use data of social media to shape public opinion as the echo chambers of social media have tremendous influence. It is the neo-algorithm of advanced social bots and hashtag swarming techniques that will control the political battle space and help manufacture the state narrative. The softening of the state will be achieved through deep fakes and forays of artificial intelligence a la 5th Generation Warfare. Data is becoming the new currency of geopolitics.
In Pakistan, use of Big Data analytics to gather information on potential issues can help us ‘see into the future’ and predict potential disruption. Instead of a reactive Rescue 1122 support service, the rescue teams can be quartered into most vulnerable points which will reduce response time and better protecting precious lives. Quick police response through Police 15 alert can boast public confidence if the QRF teams are deployed at emerging crisis situations through analysis of Big Data. The killers of Zainab in Kasur and Asma in Mardan were traced by using DNA databases. The DNA databases of the provinces can be integrated to get far greater benefits. The Big Data can be used for route optimisation of CPEC transport by using global positioning and radio frequency identification sensor. Using Big Data analysis, we can predict the next outbreak of dengue in vulnerable areas of Pakistan. The Big Data from all rivers and canals can help prevent the repeat of 2010 floods and predict high floods in advance to the administration. Sensors data can be analysed to predict the likelihood of next earthquake and the planning for our responders. The FIA data of millions of passengers travelling in and out of Pakistan is another goldmine. This data can be integrated with FBR and can identify the most frequent visitors for example 30 travels per annum. Whether such frequent passengers are taxpayers? How can the benami accounts unearthed contribute to the black economy? How can the Census 2017 data be used by BISP to alleviate poverty, by TEVTA to export talent and by HEC to reduce illiteracy? For Pakistan, it is another window of opportunity. Big Data is the neo-Oil — the crown of 21st century king.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 28th, 2018.
Big Data refers to all the data that is collected traditionally (marketing surveys, call centres, customer transactions, sales, financial records) and digitally (social media, online orders, website activity, mobile data) and then utilised for our advantage across a wide range of areas. Big Data analysis is changing our world 360 degrees. Big businesses, politics, law-enforcement agencies, sports, healthcare sector, agriculture, etc, all are using this bottomless fountain of data for enhancing their influence, maximising competitive edge and multiplying their dividends.
Today, big businesses are thinking big, planning big and winning big with Big Data. The US retailer Target is able to predict when one of their clients will expect a baby, while Walmart can predict which products will sell in Christmas and New Year by studying the available data. In healthcare, the Big Data analysis of DNA can better predict the disease patterns and thus preventive measures can be taken at an early stage. Applying algorithms on the breathing and heart beating of premature babies, infections can be predicted 24 hours before any symptom appears. Big Data is used in sports too to track performance of individuals and teams. Sensors in sports equipment give feedback on how to improve the game, how to reduce injuries, how to optimise nutrition, etc. Big Data helps machines to become more autonomous and intelligent. California is using smart water metres to minimise water pilferage as the state is facing drought conditions. Big Data is the new oil boasting modern businesses to staggering heights.
Through Big Data analysis in law enforcement, the paradigm is shifting from reactive policing to proactive and predictive policing. It was the New York City Police that pioneered the art of using data to control crime. The CompStat (Computer Statistics), introduced by the deputy commissioner Jack Maple in 1994, was used to identify hotspots of crimes and ascertain spatial and temporal crime patterns. Between 1994 and 2012, the New York City showed 63% reduction in crime which was attributed to the use of CompStat. The NSA in the US is using Big Data to thwart the next terror attack while other LEAs use algorithms to prevent the next cyber attack. Smart cities use Big Data to predict traffic volumes and traffic signals automatically divert traffic to minimise congestions. Today data from CCTV cameras, automated LPRs (Licence Plate Readers), CompStat and radiation detectors can save lives of many by providing actionable intelligence and assisting in more informed decisions.
In politics, Big Data analysis is becoming a new normal. Obama win in 2012 Presidential Elections was accredited to his team superior ability to use Big Data. In 2016, US Presidential election, Russia reportedly manipulated Facebook data to influence the elections. Political parties use data of social media to shape public opinion as the echo chambers of social media have tremendous influence. It is the neo-algorithm of advanced social bots and hashtag swarming techniques that will control the political battle space and help manufacture the state narrative. The softening of the state will be achieved through deep fakes and forays of artificial intelligence a la 5th Generation Warfare. Data is becoming the new currency of geopolitics.
In Pakistan, use of Big Data analytics to gather information on potential issues can help us ‘see into the future’ and predict potential disruption. Instead of a reactive Rescue 1122 support service, the rescue teams can be quartered into most vulnerable points which will reduce response time and better protecting precious lives. Quick police response through Police 15 alert can boast public confidence if the QRF teams are deployed at emerging crisis situations through analysis of Big Data. The killers of Zainab in Kasur and Asma in Mardan were traced by using DNA databases. The DNA databases of the provinces can be integrated to get far greater benefits. The Big Data can be used for route optimisation of CPEC transport by using global positioning and radio frequency identification sensor. Using Big Data analysis, we can predict the next outbreak of dengue in vulnerable areas of Pakistan. The Big Data from all rivers and canals can help prevent the repeat of 2010 floods and predict high floods in advance to the administration. Sensors data can be analysed to predict the likelihood of next earthquake and the planning for our responders. The FIA data of millions of passengers travelling in and out of Pakistan is another goldmine. This data can be integrated with FBR and can identify the most frequent visitors for example 30 travels per annum. Whether such frequent passengers are taxpayers? How can the benami accounts unearthed contribute to the black economy? How can the Census 2017 data be used by BISP to alleviate poverty, by TEVTA to export talent and by HEC to reduce illiteracy? For Pakistan, it is another window of opportunity. Big Data is the neo-Oil — the crown of 21st century king.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 28th, 2018.