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Running head: CASE STUDY 6

DS61370H122

Big Data Analytics

Case Study 6

Venkata Yelamanchili

Campbellsville University
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CASE STUDY 6

The company Fitbit, headquartered in San Francisco, is now the industry leader in the

linked fitness wearables market. Their products function as fitness trackers and provide

customers the ability to monitor a variety of parameters that assist them in leading a life that

is both healthier and more educated. In 2014, the firm reported sales of around 11 million

products (Almeida, 2017). This company Fitbit attributes its success to the idea that educated

consumers make more responsible decisions about their lifestyles. As a result, the products

that Fitbit offers help consumers monitor and modify their behaviours, which in turn

encourages them to eat healthier and exercise more. The vast amount of data that is being

collected via the use of Fitbit devices not only assists people in being healthy but also has

ramifications for employers, healthcare experts, and even insurance companies.

Fitbit monitors the user's activity level, as well as their exercise, calorie consumption,

as well as amount of sleep. Users have access to up-to-date info about daily routines, and also

the metrics are synchronized from the device to the user's smartphone or desktop computer.

Customers are able to monitor their progress (with useful diagrams and graphs) and keep

themselves motivated with the aid of a dashboard. Aria, the Wi-Fi smart scale from Fitbit,

can monitor a user's weight as well as their (BMI)-body mass index, lean mass, as well as

percentage of body fat. The scale is able to detect up to eight distinct users at once (so that the

entire family may use it), and it will keep their findings separate from one another and

confidential.

The statistics are synchronized with the user's private Wi-Fi network, and these may

also be synchronized with wearable devices manufactured by Fitbit. Once again, a user may

create objectives and monitor their progress with the assistance of an online dashboard. It is

quite clear that this kind of health data is extraordinarily insightful and important, even

beyond the scope of the single user (Mann, 2018). Fitbit collects information about users'

exercise routines and health statistics with the purpose of sharing it with strategic partners.
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CASE STUDY 6

Data that pertains to an individual's private life may also be distributed, provided that the user

gives their consent. As example, the HealthVault service offered by Microsoft enables users

to upload and share information from the fitness band with medical experts. This might

provide physicians with a more comprehensive view of a patient's general health and habits

that could be obtained via consultations and exams alone.

And the ramifications go even farther with the recent revelation that insurance giant

John Hancock would be giving a discount to customers who wear a Fitbit gadget as a part of

their coverage. Policyholders have the option of sharing data from their Fitbit devices in

exchange for prizes that are connected to their level of physical activity and nutrition. This

suggests that individuals are becoming more eager to "trade" their private data in exchange

for a superior product or service or a cash incentive - all of which is excellent, provided that

the transaction is clear, in the sense that the user is aware of precisely what data they are

giving up and why they are giving it up.

This story illustrates how the upheaval brought on by the Internet of Things has the

potential to affect every aspect of our life, including our physical well-being. It is heartening

to see that businesses are giving tangible advantages in exchange for individuals' willingness

to share their data, even if the prospect of having their actions monitored by their employers

or insurance providers may give some individuals the creeps. All too often, we part with our

data without giving it any conscious thought (Almeida, 2017).

Any business that collects or accesses the personal information of people has to be

extremely transparent about the nature of the information they collect and the purposes for

which they plan to put it to use. And it's definitely acceptable to provide something in return

for that data, whether it's a lower insurance premium or the opportunity to conveniently

monitor your weight-loss programme or marathon training that used a service like Fitbit.
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Both of these examples are legitimate exchanges. In spite of all the paranoia-inducing tales

about Big Brother that have been circulated in connection with Big Data, it is exactly this

kind of openness that will help cultivate consumer contentment and loyalty.
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References

Mann, L. (2018). Left to other peoples’ devices? A political economy perspective on the big

data revolution in development. Development and Change, 49(1), 3-36.

Almeida, F. (2017). Benefits, Challenges and Tools of Big Data Management. Journal of

Systems Integration, 8(1), 12-20.