Big data, machine learning, consumer protection and privacy

This paper explores various challenges that consumer protection and data privacy law and regulation face with regard to big data and machine learning techniques, particularly where these are used for making decisions about services provided to consumers. The beneficial opportunity data presents for development is widely recognised, particularly for the provision of digital financial services. Service providers can use big data to build a detailed personal profile of an individual including his or her behaviour (e.g., preferences, activities and movements) which may be used for commercial offers. Big data and machine learning are being increasingly deployed for financial inclusion, not only in wealthy nations but also in developing countries. These new technologies also bring risks, some say tendencies, of bias in decision-making, discrimination and invasion of privacy.