Which scenario best reflects loss of personal agency in data practices?

• A. A company uses transparent consent-based data sharing.
• B. Mining big data to influence political beliefs and consumer behavior.
• C. Data is stored locally with encryption.
• D. Data is anonymized before use.

Answer: (B)

Loss of personal agency in data practices occurs when individuals are steered or manipulated through data-driven profiling and targeted messaging, limiting their ability to make independent choices. Mining large datasets to influence political beliefs and consumer behavior exemplifies this by shaping what people think and buy based on detected biases and vulnerabilities, often through subtle nudges and tailored content that feels personalized but constrains true autonomy. The other scenarios preserve or protect agency: transparent consent-based data sharing centers on voluntary decision-making; storing data locally with encryption reduces exposure and risk; anonymizing data helps protect identity. While those practices address privacy and consent, they do not inherently involve manipulating someone’s beliefs or behaviors, which is what erodes personal agency in data use.