Data Privacy

It was another big year for algorithms and analytics, as data became increasingly important to the enterprise in different ways.

AI Summit indicates that ethical AI is a top-of-mind issue for policymakers.

Rapid7 Inc., a cybersecurity firm based in Boston, found that an unauthorized user could shut off all the safety protocols parents had set up on the smartwatches and gain "total control."

In a Senate Hearing, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle pushed the companies to let the police and other authorities access personal data that lies behind encryption on devices and technology platforms.

The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights points to the potential for errors with possible judicial consequences, including discrimination, privacy, rights of minors and its long-term impact on the functioning of democracy.

Lawmakers argue that repeated privacy lapses can be a sign that a company -- Facebook is often cited as a prime example -- has let product quality and customer service slip.

Most of the data was collected by a company called People Data Labs, which provides work emails and social media account details for what the company claims is a billion and a half people.