Everything we do online and that can be measured is data. Governments, corporations, hospitals and police can use this data to make decisions and see patterns. Self-driving cars will use artifical intelligence. And AI will also be used in hospitals and across the government. We need to make sure that we have control over how this works.

This event might be an interesting starting point:  Risk, Intersectional Inequalities and Racial Proxies:  How Is Machine Learning and Big Data Shaping Legal and Criminal Justice Analysis of “Risk”? 
Kelly Hannah-Moffat, University of Toronto , Criminology & Sociolegal Studies . January 29 4:00-6:00 pm
Centre for Ethics Room 200, Second Floor, Larkin Building, 15 Devonshire Place
//www.facebook.com/events/1982876795127777

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Big Data and Mental Health in workplaces

The health system is using lots of data from forms, diagnoses, services, inventories, times, costs, outcomes, drugs and more. And this data can be used to predict costs and benefits of services. And computers can use this information to learn and predict best practices and procedures and outcomes. Lots more about this in the future. [This is sometimes called “machine learning” or “artificial intelligence”]. There are lots of issues about privacy, control of data. who benefits and who is hurt by application of big data.

An example of a (mental health) business application:

From SpringHealth.com

We designed Spring Health to eliminate every barrier to mental health, so that your employees could feel better—faster.

From early detection to full recovery, Spring Health is the only clinically validated solution proven to be more effective than traditional mental healthcare. By combining the latest technology with vetted providers, we help you engage 1 in 3 employees, reduce recovery times, and reduce healthcare costs.

…Mental illness is invisible and can go undetected. Our program enables early detection and uses clinically validated screening tools to identify a variety of conditions.

Bulletin Bottom Line: Big data and AI will affect how the mental health, police and other systems work. We can participate to make them work for us, respect privacy, and assumptions around racism, sexism, ableism.