In an article, paper, and series of commentaries regarding the same; Anonymity takes a hit based on research that re-identified the movie picks that were anonymized by NetFlix for their NetFlix prize.
Paul Ohm, who writes on “Freedom to Tinker” which is a blog about technological policymaking, has spurred the discussion into just what it means to be anonymous. Are you anonymous when someone attempts to anonymize your data? It appears not, at least to some degree. The ethical issue here is; Why de-anonymize data that has been scrubbed and to what degree do you need source material to reidentify anything that would have real impact. We’re talking about NetFlix here afterall. Unless you are a spy, anything pertaining to your penchant for a particular kind of movie, will be meaningless fluff. But, gather enough information about a particular target, and you can definitely cause some harm.
In the old days, people used to “trash” or “dumpster dive” to acquire social networking information to gain access to a particular location. A journalist in the gonzo media school would do whatever it takes to get back stage to inquire about a musicians drug habits, or their particular love for Hannah Montana movies. Anything to find drama and draw readers or viewers.
Here is a link to his SSRN posted paper… you’ll have to fend for yourself about how to acquire it.
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