“The Mariners; Big Data Experiment,” The Wall Street Journal, March 27, 2018 A14. Data leads to moving a star player from shortstop to the outfield.
Maybe not a big Information Governance or Compliance piece. But interesting use of information.
Monthly Archives: March 2018
Moneyball 2
Filed under Analytics, Collect, Data quality, Information, Management, Operations, Use, Use, Value
Dadah is Death
News alert: Countries have different laws.
“Malaysia Aims at ‘Fake News,'” The Wall Street Journal, March 27, 2018 A6. In the run-up to national elections, new law proposed to impose a prison sentence of up to 10 years for spreading fake news.
As information governance, this has some interesting elements. News that hasn’t been approved by Malaysian authorities will be considered “false.” What controls does your country or company put on the sharing of information? Are they enforced? Effective?
This law may also apply to “media organizations” outside Malaysia in certain circumstances. But “the government wouldn’t suppress opposing views.” Well, that makes us comfortable.
Filed under Accuracy, Compliance, Compliance (General), Controls, Data quality, Duty, Governance, Legal, Requirements, Who is in charge?
Privacy is dead; suspect under arrest
I don’t know what the record is for consecutive days on which one company’s screw-up was on the front page of The Wall Street Journal, but Facebook is in the running.
“U.S., States Step Up Pressure on Facebook,” The Wall Street Journal, March 27, 2018 A1. “[F]ederal regulators [including the FTC] … and 37 state attorneys general demanding explanations for [Facebook’s privacy] practices.” Stock price up 0.4% (when the market was up 669.40 points). Demands/invitations that Zuckerberg (and Google and Twitter) testify before Congress. And Europe hasn’t weighted in yet.
There is also a pop-up that describes FB’s practice of logging some calls and texts from Android phones. Did you (we) know that? Do you know what companies are doing with “your” data? Do you care? Privacy is dead; Facebook investigated as person of interest.
I guess that answers the question of who’s in charge: the Feds and the states. I guess I missed the outrage when essentially the same data was collected and used quite effectively by the Obama campaign.
Contagion
When disaster hits one part of your industry, other members often get hit, too, especially when customers get upset. And the media smells blood.
“Facebook and Google Confront Antagonism of Big Advertisers,” The Wall Street Journal, March 26, 2018 A1. Major advertisers demand more detail and accountability around ads and cost following the revelations about the use/misuse of user data and the accuracy of the viewing statistics.
Is the business model of selling access to data that isn’t really yours finally breaking down?
In a related piece, Facebook took out a full-page ad on page B12 in The Wall Street Journal that says, in part, “We have a responsibility to protect your information. If we can’t, we don’t deserve it.” Interesting admission that it’s your information, not theirs. Still noodling on how that works through the courts.
Where to file this? What does non-compliance with your information policies cost you?
Filed under Access, Accuracy, Compliance, Compliance (General), Controls, Corporation, Duty, Governance, Information, Oversight, Ownership, Protect assets, Security, Third parties, Value, Vendors
Cutting the cord
“Delete Facebook, Or Take a Break: Step by Step,” The Wall Street Journal, March 24, 2018 A13. Further fallout from the disclosure of user data.
I didn’t read anything into the fact that this story was on the Obituary page of The Wall Street Journal.
Filed under Access, Controls, Corporation, Duty, Governance, Internal controls, Oversight, Privacy, Protect assets, Third parties, Vendors
The long arm of the law
“U.S. Authorities Can Access Data Stored Overseas,” The Wall Street Journal, March 24, 2018 A6. US warrants will soon reach can information stored by US tech companies on cloud servers overseas.
You now need to know what you have and where you have it; now you have to know who you store it with. Saying that you have it in France and can’t turn it over to the FBI isn’t going to work here. Much like telling the French court that you need to turn it over to the US, despite French blocking statutes that forbid that.
In the event of a conflict, who wins? Is that how you know who is in charge? Are you still going to use a cloud service hosted by a US company?
Filed under Access, Compliance, Compliance (General), Controls, Corporation, Duty, Governance, Government, Interconnections, IT, Privacy, Protect assets
Leaks followed by leaks
Following the user reaction to reports of the disclosure and use of user data, FB is losing advertisers. Has the Good Ship Facebook sprung a Titanic leak?
“Facebook Pledges Actions To Stem Advertiser Exits,” The Wall Street Journal, March 24, 2018 A1. People apparently still prize whatever privacy they have left.
A least the story is below the fold. But it is still on page 1.
Filed under Access, Controls, Corporation, Duty, Governance, Internal controls, Oversight, Ownership, Policy, Privacy, Protect assets, Third parties, Vendors
Timing
Information is often more valuable if you get it or use it faster than someone else.
“Ultrafast Opens to the Masses,” The Wall Street Journal, March 24, 2018 B5. A high-frequency trading platform using open coding is made available to the muggles.
Is it fair to use software to trade faster than someone else? Apparently. Can you make money by doing that? Perhaps.
Filed under Data quality, Information, IT, Value
Ethics
When you need to hide relevant information from your clients, you are often doing something that’s not ethical.
“BofA to Pay Fine Over ‘Marking’ of Trades,” The Wall Street Journal, March 24, 2018 B10. Bank hid the fact that it was routing its clients’ trades through high-speed trading firms. Millions of times. Apparently, the scheme was well known by bank employees, and was to hide the bank’s practices from major clients who would have objected. And they did it anyway. Cost: $42 million fine, and a loss of a lot of face.
You’d think a bank would have a policy or maybe even a culture against lying, cheating, or stealing. Who’s getting fired?
Filed under Compliance, Compliance, Compliance (General), Controls, Corporation, Culture, Duty, Employees, Governance, Management, Oversight, Policy, To report
Don’t forget who your audience is
“Angry Users Are Threat to Facebook,” The Wall Street Journal, March 23, 2018 B1. User reaction to the use of user data may imperil FB; users lose trust.
For a company recently valued at $500 billion, the loss of a customer base and momentum may be terminal. Or at least painful. Just because they didn’t take care of its users’ information.
Again, is this an information governance blog or a crisis management and response blog? The issues seem to overlap a good deal of late. Is this just a risk of the business, or does it say something about the company’s culture or governance? What exactly is FB selling, and to whom? What was their reputation?
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