Big Brother, Big Business: The Data-Mining and Surveillance Industries

Privacy issues have taken on increased importance in our post-9/11 age of expanded government scrutiny. Big Brother, Big Business, an eye-opening CNBC news report, takes a broader perspective, revealing how “data-mining” on ordinary citizens by private firms has accelerated so rapidly that even those in the business are concerned about the possibility of abuse. Featuring a series of segments that cover topics ranging from ever more ubiquitous surveillance cameras and faster identification technologies to modes of archiving a person's Internet searches, cell phone calls, and even driving practices, the documentary deftly investigates the ways in which companies compile data on individuals for security or commercial reasons. Some of the more telling scenes sketch stories of people affected by the dossiers kept on them—a man whose phone records were stolen, a woman who suffered identity theft when her files were taken from a data-collection firm, a woman who was fired when another company confused information on her with someone else's, and a man whose out-of-state trip was charged by a rental car company on the basis of a black box installed in his vehicle. Big Brother, Big Business does illustrate how data collection can provide useful information to law enforcement agencies, but also makes it very clear that the practice can be grossly misused, ultimately raising the question of whether the benefits outweigh the dangers. A thought-provoking look at a timely topic, this is recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Swietek)