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'Dataclysm' author Christian Rudder argues Big Data online is changing history

The Internet has radically changed the way we study human behaviour. Researchers no longer have to rely on polling or real-world experiments. Christian Rudder, the mathematician behind OK Cupid argues aggregated information offers a level of real-time insight into our society that is unprecedented....
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The Current25:00Author of 'Dataclysm', Christian Rudder argues online data is changing history - Sept 29, 2014
The Internet has radically changed the way we study human behaviour. Researchers no longer have to rely on polling or real-world experiments. Christian Rudder, the mathematician behind OK Cupid argues aggregated information offers a level of real-time insight into our society that is unprecedented.

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A facebook "like" here... a deleted message on a website there. Surfing the internet is like leaving breadcrumbs along a forest path. Except no birds ever fly in to clean it up. It's a long messy trail providing all kinds of clues to anyone inclined to look.

Christian Rudder has just that kind of inclination. He's co-founder and President of OK Cupid - an online dating site. He's just written a book called Dataclysm - Who We Are When We think No One's Looking.


Christian Rudder was in our Toronto studio.


What do you think? Is all this aggregate data contributing to a more democratic view of history? Or are you worried about all that information being collected about you?

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This segment was produced by The Current's Liz Hoath.

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