
Google says it won’t Google jurors in upcoming Oracle API copyright trial - rayiner
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/03/google-says-it-wont-google-jurors-in-upcoming-oracle-api-copyright-trial/
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hackuser
This is a serious issue in the imbalance of information available to large
companies and individuals. Consider the ability to pressure jurors or
individuals, such as someone suing a large company, or someone running for
office (or in office).

The info available via Google is nothing compared to the much more
sophisticated databases available to businesses. Consider this story I
recently read:[1]

 _You 're just starting work on a major home improvement project when your
insurance agent calls. "You need more coverage," he says. But the real
question is: How did he even know you were building an addition? Did he smell
the sawdust or hear the hammer?

Neither. Thanks to a supercomputer owned by LexisNexis, the data analytics
subsidiary of London-based RELX Group (RELX), your insurance company knows so
much more than that.

"Very little in your life isn't known," said Victor Bayus, who runs the new
Active Insights program at LexisNexis. It enables other companies to "predict,
assess and manage risk."

Bayus' program allows insurers to find out as much as possible about you to
market new products to you, get you to increase your coverage or, if you've
done something wrong, like driving while intoxicated, either raise your
premium or drop your coverage. Newly divorced? New driver in the family?
Newborn baby? New business venture? You could say it knows just about
everything._

[1] I just posted it to HN here:
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11254842](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11254842)

