Big data explored by Big Data
Image: http://www.etmusiquepourtous.com/2013/09/05/big-data-dangerous/
“Compelled to grow and propelled to the mainstream, predictive technology is commonplace and affects everyone, every day. It impacts your experiences in undetectable ways as you drive, shop, study, vote, see the doctor, communicate, watch TV, earn, borrow, or even steal.” (Siegel 2013, 2)
The band Big Data, composed of producer Alan Wilkis and vocalist Daniel Armbruster, have been exploring this idea through their electronic pop duo whose music and lyrics focus on the growing relationships between humans and technology. Their latest album, Dangerous, explores the idea of voyeurism, and has a very “Nineteen Eighty-Four” feel to the lyrics. (Blanpied 2013) The lyrics are evident of the very paranoid, and dystopian world of which Wilkis and Armbruster speak.
“How could they know, how could they know
What I been thinking?
But they’re right inside my head because they know
Because they know, what I been hidin’
They’re right under my bed, they’re a troll.” (BigDataBigData 2014)
In an interview with Alan Wilkis, he explains a bit about the message behind their new hit single Dangerous: “With Dangerous, we wanted to tackle this idea of cyclical voyeurism in the digital age - voyeurism 2.0 - the idea that you can peer very deeply into the lives of others through the internet and specifically Facebook, anonymously and from the comfort of your own home, with the semblance of privacy. But all the while, you’re being watched, tracked and monitored anonymously by Facebook, the government, etc. Big Brother, 100%.” (Blanpied 2013)
Facehawk is an interactive music video that hijacks your Facebook page, blows it up, and turns it into a hawk. It is formed using photos and statuses from the beginning of your digital social life. The program was created for Big Data, to spread the message with the release of Dangerous. (Bizcommunity 2013)
Further in the interview Wilkis discusses the effect of Facehawk: “For me personally, I think what I love so much about it is the way it straddles this fine line between playfulness and unsettling, downright terror. In a way, that’s what we were trying to do with the song, musically and lyrically, as well.” (Blanpied 2013)
An organisation is sort of a “mega-person,” so shouldn’t it “mega-learn”? A group comes together for the collective benefit of its members and those it serves, be it a company, government, hospital, university or charity. Once formed it gains from division of labour, mutually complementary skills, and the efficiency of mass production. The result is more powerful that the sum of its parts.” (Siegel 2013, 13) Acknowledgement needs to be made to the fact the big data possesses the ability for great improvements and innovation in future society, but this power is just as easily abused, and has the potential to be used negatively. Wilkis and Armbruster heed these warnings through their music, and only time will determine whether big data resources will be used for or against us.
The official promotional video for Facehawk can be found here, while the official webpage for the project is www.thefacehawk.com.
References
BigDataBigData. 2014. “Big Data - "Dangerous (feat. Joywave)" [Official Music Video].” Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8b4xYbEugo
Bizcommunity. 2013. “Facehawk and Big Data.” Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vMKiRcae0c
Blanpied, L.N. 2013. “Electronic duo Big Data makes music about “Voyerism 2.0.” Retrieved from http://www.chicagonow.com/new-girl-312/2013/08/big-data-voyerism-2-0/
Siegel, E. 2013. “Introduction – The Prediction Effect.” In Predictive Analytics, 1-16. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons Inc. Retrieved from https://qutvirtual3.qut.edu.au/qv/olt_material_search_p?p_unit_code=KCB206