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Data science Quote by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz

“The data clearly tells us that there are many, many horrifying searches that rarely lead to horrible actions. And there has been, as of yet, no proof that the government can predict a particular horrible action, with high probability, just from examining these searches. So we have to be really…” quote by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz
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““The data clearly tells us that there are many, many horrifying searches that rarely lead to horrible actions. And there has been, as of yet, no proof that the government can predict a particular horrible action, with high probability, just from examining these searches. So we have to be really cautious about allowing the government to intervene at the individual level based on search data. This is not just for ethical or legal reasons. It’s also, at least for now, for data science reasons.””

Seth Stephens-Davidowitz

About This Quote

Source Speech: Interview on data privacy, 2023

Data on searches rarely predicts violent acts, so government intervention based on searches is premature and risky.

In simple terms: Search data isn’t reliable for predicting crimes

Key Takeaway

Be cautious about surveillance policies

Themes

privacy ethics data science

Mood

cautious analytical

Type

policy ethical

When to use this quote

  • law enforcement
  • policy making
  • technology regulation

Key Concepts

predictive analytics civil liberties

Questions to Reflect On

  • What safeguards are needed for data use?
  • Can we trust predictive algorithms?
A Different Perspective

Predictive models can be biased and overreach.

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