Big Data is watching YOU: opportunities and challenges from the perspective of young adult consumers in Russia

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe extent to which Big Data technologies are integrated into a society is a reflection of national progress, showcasing political and economic modernity. In the data-driven world, individuals are required to divulge private and financial information in order to ‘consume’ the Internet. While sharing information is a tolerated yet undesirable facet of modern society, netizens are alarmed by the recent release to third parties of sensitive personal data. The (mis)use of Big Data is affecting perceptions of new technologies by heightening uncertainty. Using a mixed methods approach, the authors explore the factors that influence consumer perceptions of Big Data, from the perspective of the individual Web user in an overtly censored society. The study contributes the literature on the Big Data phenomenon by presenting the viewpoint of the individual.