DBMSs, database models, digital economy, data mining, information systems, artificial intellicance, database ethics, security issues and safeguards, quality of life, economic and political issues

1. Databases &
Challenges of a Digital Age
WEEK 7 PRESENTATION
WENDY LI LE
ITCC121
OCTOBER 19, 2014
PROFESSOR FELIX AGALABA

2. A database is a collection of interrelated data, logically
organized to be easily accessed and managed.
Databases are used for many purposes of storing
information, such as student’s names in a university
database or purchasing habits of customers in a retail
database.
Databases are used by advertising and marketing
companies, retailers, and even our government. All
types of agencies collectively gathering information to
use for their specific purpose.
8.1-8.8

3. MANAGING FILES
BASIC CONCEPTS
Data Storage Hierarchy
File (Table) a collection of records [Top of the hierarchy]
Record (Row) a collection of fields
Field (Column) each field has a field name and the type of field
Byte A character, such as a letter, number, or symbol
Bit Unit of data represented by either a 0 (off) or a 1 (on)
• Key field – the primary identifier of a record. A key
field makes the record searchable, therefore must
be unique

4. DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS (DBMS)
A DBMS is software that enables users
to interact with the database to create,
modify, or delete data.
• Three components of a DBMS:
• Data dictionary (repository)
• DBMS utilities – programs that enable
maintenance of the database
• Report generator

5. DATABASE MODELS
• Hierarchical
• Network
• Relational
• Object-oriented
• Multidimensional
Example of a multidimensional database

6. DATA MINING
• The process of analyzing
large amounts of data to
discover patterns that
could describe past
trends or predict future
situations

7. DATABASES AND THE DIGITAL ECONOMY
E-BUSINESS & E-COMMERCE
B2B
4 main
types of
ecommerce
B2C
C2C
Mobile
commerce

8. INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN ORGANIZATIONS
USING DATABASES TO HELP MAKE DECISIONS

9. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)
• Some fields of AI:
• Expert systems
• Natural language processing
• Intelligent agents
• Pattern recognition
• Fuzzy logic
• Virtual reality & simulation
• Robotics
Darpa – AlphaDog LS3 Robotic military dog
Shopping Bot:
PriceGrabber.com

10. THE ETHICS OF USING DATABASES
CONCERNS ABOUT PRIVACY & IDENTITY THEFT
Big Data is a term most people know. It is the gathering of massive amounts of
information on internet consumers by corporations or companies. The information
collected is stored in databases, which are then analyzed to, for example, predict the
purchasing habits of a specific customer.
The general concern is privacy so they do not worry about identity theft and the idea
that consumers want from companies is complete transparency. Let them know when
data will be collected, what will be collected, who will have it, and how it will be used,
then give them a chance to opt out.
Companies and data warehouses have the ethical implications of storing the data
without selling or losing it to hackers. The main data collecting company is Axiom.
Click AboutTheData.com to see what Big Data has stored on you.

11. 9.1-9.5
There are a few challenges with living in today’s society.
Technology brings with it a certain uncertainty.
Uncertainties such as truth and security issues, securing
devices and communications, issues with the quality of
life surrounding technology, and economic and political
implications.

12. TRUTH ISSUES
EXAMPLES OF MANIPULATING DIGITAL DATA
Sound manipulation
• Electronic music or making a singers voice sound
perfect by its pitch
Image manipulation
• Good – restoring an old photograph or creating
graphic art
• Bad – image doctoring
Video & Television manipulation
• Special effects in video games or movies

13. SECURITY ISSUES
THREATS TO COMPUTERS & COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS
• Errors and accidents – these include all
human operating errors, faulty hardware,
and the software bug
• Natural hazards – no matter the natural
hazard, always keep your computer backed
up and plugged into a surge protector.
• Computer criminals – hackers, phishers,
hactivists, scammers, employees
• Computer crimes – theft of hardware or
software, music, movies, information,
identity
(University of Calgary, n.d.)

14. SECURITY SAFEGUARDS
PROTECTING COMPUTERS & COMMUNICATIONS
• Must have safeguards:
• “Deterrents to computer crime” would include law enforcement agencies
with cybercrime divisions or large purchase warnings to prevent fraudulent
charges.
• Identification includes items such as debit cards with your picture on them,
the pin number used to access the ATM.
• Encryption types: ciphertext, hashing, symmetric (most secure), asymmetric
• “Protection of software and data” include user access control and
authentication of files, folders, and hard drives.
• A disaster recovery plan should be had not only by businesses but also by
individuals, especially if they work at home or go to school. Hard drives
should be backed up on multiple kinds of media and put in multiple
locations.

15. QUALITY-OF-LIFE ISSUES
THE ENVIRONMENT & MENTAL HEALTH
• Green Computing
• Disposal of “technotrash” or “e-waste”
is an issue and instead of
shipping our waste to other
countries, we should be doing more
to recycle it.
• Non-renewable resources are being
used for the energy to manufacture
devices and for the material the
devices are made of. Recycling
would help here as well.
• Chemicals leaked into landfills from
electronics, e.g. chromium and lead,
are dangerous to humans
• Mental health
• The overuse of technology is
actually considered an addiction in
the psychology field because
addiction is any uncontrolled activity
that induces stress, anxiety,
depression, and insomnia.
• There are even mental health
programs that deal with technology
addiction. The Center for Internet
and Technology Addiction offers
cognitive behavioral therapy as one
of their services.

16. QUALITY-OF-LIFE ISSUES
CHI LD PROTECTION & THE WORKPLACE
• Child protection
• Unfortunately, according to Williams
and Sawyer, the Internet is also a
place full of online predators,
pornography, and bullying (2012).
• To help with these issues, the FCC
established the Child’s Internet
Protection Act of 2000 that rewards
schools and libraries with
communications discounts for
having a policy on Internet safety
which includes content filters, online
monitoring and the like.
• Workplace
• Productivity may be hindered in
many ways. “Hyper-connectedness”
certainly may either hinder or boost
productivity depending on the levels
of device maintenance and the
experience of the employees.
According to Cornerstone On
Demand, the overwhelming of
technology depends on the age of
the employee. The younger they
are, the more inept they are to use
their own devices for productivity
and not feel overwhelmed (2014).

17. ECONOMIC & POLITICAL ISSUES
EMPLOYMENT & THE HAVES/HAVE -NOTS
We are currently in the middle of a
transformation to a more technology service-oriented
nation. Education is becoming more
readily available thanks to the Internet and we
should capitalize on this fact so as to lead the way
for the rest of the world. Connecting children as
early as possible and actually teaching web and
programming classes in the public schools should
be our future.
Industrialization Digital Age

18. IN CONCLUSION…
Databases are crucial to nearly every aspect of everyday
computing. They range from individual and
organizational cloud storage to customer information
databases in e-commerce. We must all make ethically
sound decisions when working with databases.
We are in the age of information and must not only use
this to our advantage, but use this to make the world a
better place and a “better place” includes protecting our
environment at the same time. We must always
remember to “unplug” quite often to value our quality of
life.

19. REFERENCES
Arronlee33. (2012). DARPA - Alphadog legged squad support system (LS3) Field testing [720p]
[Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOkXRXZIFxs
Batke, K. (2011). 7 types of cyber criminals. Retrieved from http://www.faronics.com/news/blog/7-
types-of-cyber-criminals/
Carnegie Cyber Academy. (n.d.). Environmental issues. Retrieved from
http://www.carnegiecyberacademy.com/facultyPages/environment/issues.html
Concept Draw. (n.d.). Pyramid diagram examples [Online image]. Retrieved from
http://www.conceptdraw.com/examples/chart-of-management-information-system-with-diagram
Cornerstone On Demand. (2014). The state of workplace productivity report. Retrieved from
http://www.cornerstoneondemand.com/resources/research/state-of-workplace-productivity-
2013
FCC. (n.d.). Child’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). Retrieved from
http://www.fcc.gov/guides/childrens-internet-protection-act
Greenfield, D. (n.d.). The center for internet and technology addiction. Retrieved from
http://virtual-addiction.com/

20. King, J. & Richards, N. (2014). What’s up with big data ethics? Retrieved from
http://radar.oreilly.com/2014/03/whats-up-with-big-data-ethics.html
Linn, M. (2014). What are the different types of encryption methods? Retrieved from
http://www.wisegeek.org/what-are-the-different-types-of-encryption-methods.htm
Sassoon, Y. (2012). Transforming snowplow data so that it can be interrogated in BI / OLAP tools
like Tableau, Qlikview and Pentaho [Online image]. Retrieved from
http://snowplowanalytics.com/blog/2012/12/17/transforming-snowplow-data-so-it-can-be-interrogated-
by-olap-tools-like-tableau/
Singh, S. (2014). Companies devise new strategies to keep pace with rapid rise of mobile
commerce. Retrieved from
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/retail/companies-devise-new-strategies-
to-keep-pace-with-rapid-rise-of-mobile-commerce/articleshow/44892422.cms
Telemetry Labs. (n.d.). M2 cloud solutions [Online image]. Retrieved from
http://www.telemetrylabs.com/
University of Calgary. (n.d.). Identity theft on Ebay [Online image]. Retrieved from
http://wiki.ucalgary.ca/page/Courses/Computer_Science/CPSC_203/CPSC_203_2008Winter
_L03/CPSC_203_2008WinterL03_TermProjects/T19_Group_3-_Identity_Theft_on_Ebay
Williams, B. & Sawyer, S. (2012). Using Information Technology, 10th ed. McGraw-Hill.