With the rapid emergence of digital devices, an unstoppable invisible force is changing human life from micro to huge: big data, a term that was hardly used a few years ago, now dominates our day for many of us from the moment we wake up until the last late night light bulb goes out. This large-scale real-time data collection and analysis not only enables us to address some of the biggest challenges facing humanity, but also helps to create a new type of planetary nervous system. However, as Edward Snowden and the release of the Prism file indicate, the accessibility of all of this data comes at a high cost. The humanization of big data captures the hope and danger of this extraordinary knowledge revolution.
