A set of computer instructions that process data and make decisions automatically, such as recommending videos or filtering search results.
When an algorithm produces unfair or discriminatory results because of biased data or flawed design.
Making the workings of data-processing systems and algorithms open and understandable so people can see how decisions are made.
Information about what you do, such as your clicks, searches, likes, and movements. It helps companies understand your habits and preferences.
A term coined by Shoshana Zuboff meaning the extra data collected about you beyond what’s needed to run a service, used for predictions and profit.
Extremely large sets of information that are analyzed to find patterns, trends, or connections about people and behaviors.
Permission you give (often through app or website settings) to have your data collected or used.
Small pieces of code that websites and apps use to follow your online activity, helping them remember you or collect data for advertising.
An incident where personal information is stolen, leaked, or accessed by unauthorized people.
A company that collects data from many sources, builds profiles about people, and sells or shares that information with other businesses.
The system where personal and digital data is collected, traded, analyzed, and used to make money or improve services. In this economy, data is treated as a valuable asset.
A privacy principle stating that organizations should collect only the data they truly need, and no more.
The process of searching through large data sets to discover useful information, trends, or patterns.
The legal and technical measures designed to keep personal information safe and prevent misuse, loss, or theft.
The idea that data should be subject to the laws and governance of the country where it is collected or stored.
The process of turning everyday actions, like walking, shopping, or scrolling on your phone, into digital data that can be stored and analyzed.
The trail of data you leave behind when using the internet, including posts, searches, app use, and device information. Also called digital exhaust.
A concept from Zuboff describing the power companies gain when they can monitor, predict, and shape human behavior through data-driven systems.
A type of artificial intelligence that allows computers to learn from data and make predictions or decisions without being explicitly programmed.
Any information that can identify you directly or indirectly, like your name, email, phone number, location, photos, or browsing history.
The use of data and algorithms to guess what people will do next; for example, which product you might buy or which video you’ll watch.
The right to control your personal information and decide who can collect, use, or share it.
A legal right (especially in Europe) allowing individuals to ask for their personal data to be deleted from online systems.
An economic model where companies watch, record, and analyze people’s online behavior to predict what they will do next and use that information to influence or profit from them.
Ads that are shown specifically to you based on your interests, location, or past behavior online.
