The Value of Your Personal Data 2013
Distributed by Films Media Group, 132 West 31st St., 17th Floor, New York, NY 10001; 800-257-5126
Produced by Helen Grossman and Jenny Borger
Directed by Martijn Kieft
DVD , color, 50 min.
College - General Adult
Technology, Sociology, Social Sciences, Law, Human Rights, Ethics, Business, Anthropology
Date Entered: 05/27/2015
Reviewed by Andrew Koval, MSLSThe Value of Your Personal Data by Keift explores how personal information has become the desired good in the marketplace. Kieft details how fortunes are created through the access and implementation of personal data. The actions of Google, Facebook, Wolfram Alpha and the NSA are examined. Fictional companion pieces to this film are 1984 (1949) by George Orwell and the film Minority Report (2002). For related non-fiction content see the book Who Owns the Future (2013) by Jaron Lanier and the film Take Back Your Power: Investigating the Smart Grid (2014) by Josh Del Sol which also discusses the topic of human rights in the digital age.
Regrettably the narration is provided from a generic mechanical voice. This piece is informative though and discusses personal data from authorities such as Jaron Lanier and Data Scientist Brain Delessandro, elucidating terms like “groked” and “behavior trails.” The film further explores theories as to future arrangements of personal data and income. Best suited for school, public and academic libraries, this film is for anyone who accesses and utilizes information and communication technologies.