In the midst of the 4th industrial revolution, big data is weighed in gold, placing enormous power in the hands of data scientists - the modern AI alchemists. But great power comes with greater responsibility. This book seeks to shape, in a practical, diverse and inclusive way, the ethical compass of those entrusted with big data.

Being practical, the book provides seven real world case studies dealing with big data abuse. These cases span a range of topics from the statistical manipulation of research in the Cornell food lab, through the Facebook user data abuse done by Cambridge Analytica, to the abuse of farm animals by AI, in a chapter co-authored by renowned philosophers Peter Singer and Yip Fai Tse. Diverse and inclusive given the global nature of this revolution, the book provides case-by-case commentary on the cases by scholars representing non-western ethical approaches (Buddhist, Jewish, Indigenous and African) as well as western approaches (consequentialism, deontology and virtue).

We hope that this book will be a light house for those debating ethical dilemmas in this challenging and ever evolving field.