As technology advances, increased sources of data are becoming key resources for understanding complex behavior patterns and making accurate decisions. While companies have long been collecting and buying aggregate information, consumers have not always had this luxury. Despite the proliferation of information online, consumers still have to weed out data that may be inaccurate or subjective. When it comes to your personal data, such your healthcare or financial information, there is a lot at stake when making decisions. Getting access to accurate data and being able to manage, it is crucial to making smart choices.
Consider the Source
Data is everywhere. The internet hosts websites, forums, articles and reviews full of information that can be accessed in less than a second. Unfortunately, not all information is accurate, nor relevant to the decisions we make everyday. Because anyone can post anything at any time, a lot of what we encounter on the internet is opinion. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to separate credible information from sources that lack adequate facts. When it comes to your health, it becomes more important to make sure that you are using accurate data to make decisions.
Without accurate information, it becomes easy to make assumptions on what health products will be effective for your personal needs. Dietary ingredients, for example, are not regulated by the FDA in the same way that pharmaceutical drugs or food is regulated. In fact, most products can be introduced to the market without ever being evaluated by the FDA for safety and efficacy. Yet, the advertising efforts for these products often include statements claiming quality ingredients are used and they have the potential to improve your health. Many consumers may falsely assume that manufacturing labels and advertising claims relay accurate information that has been approved by the FDA. When in reality, it is quite difficult for the FDA to check on the 90,000+ products available in this industry.
Data and technology expertise companies like Workstate have evolved to help shape the behavior that is driving massive innovation in the business sector. They frequently work with clients to determine how to leverage the power of big data, but also to provide accurate insights based on credible sources of information.
Increased Access to Information
Consumers need to constantly be on the lookout for credible information to support their decisions. Consulting your doctor is a good place to start for your health care needs, but even doctors don’t have all of the information on individual products. Fortunately, there are startups looking to fill the gap in consumer access to relevant information in this industry. Companies like Labdoor provide quality scores and chemical testing reports on a wide variety of health products and dietary ingredients. Labdoor tests for safety and efficacy, among other things, and provide all of this information for free. Their mission is to help consumers make better decisions about the health products they use everyday.
Often times, it can be challenging to sift through the online trove to find what is relevant to you. We usually need a doctor to help us figure out what’s wrong when we are sick and to prescribe medication to help us alleviate symptoms. Companies like 23andMe want to give personal health information back to the people who need it the most – you. Their philosophy is that people can make good decisions about their health if only they can access their own health information. 23andMe provides DNA testing to help users unlock all of the health data that is stored within our bodies. With information about what diseases you are genetically more susceptible to, 23andMe allows consumers to switch from trying to keep up with their health to taking preventive health measures.
Manage Your Digital Footprint
Getting access to all sorts of information that is accurate and relevant can be eye opening. But, having so much data can also be overwhelming. Think about the things you do every day. You have to manage information on your health, personal finance, weather, traffic, retail and more. It’s easy to lose track of everything.
It’s also easy to lose sight of how often we share our personal information with the world. We share our health records with doctors, our financial data with banks and our email when signing up for a new app or online promotion. The internet has made it especially easy for us to hand out our personal information through patient portals and personal accounts. Most people do not realize the wide span of their digital footprint. When you go to a new website, your actions are most likely being tracked so that marketers can figure out how the best way to sell their product or service to you. Anything you voluntarily provide online, becomes a part of your digital footprint. Before you start ringing alarms, take a look at digi.me. This data mining startup is empowering individuals to take control of their digital footprint. They give consumers the ability to manage their digital presence in one secure place. Digi.me lets users determine what is stored in their personal library and what information they want to share with companies.
With the ever present threat of hackers and our information being shared in unwanted ways, it’s important to keep track of and appropriately manage your information. It’s necessary to be the one making decisions around who gets access to your data. Better management of the scattered information we put out on the internet can help us make more informed decisions as to whom can have access to specific pieces of our personal information.
New Age of Information
In this new age of information, there are more variables than ever to think about as we interact, manage and benefit from data. Whether it’s making critical decisions about your health or understanding your digital footprint, we are faced with the great responsibility to make better and more informed choices.
