Know Your Customer

[Berkut]

So the new job I have is at a bank, as a technology system grunt.

One thing I've found very interesting is how much the bank has to spend on technology for compliance with various Fed (and state) mandates.

One of the areas that is huge is the KYC concept - Know Your Customer. The bank is obligated to do considerable diligence in knowing the background of anyone they engage in financial transactions with - this has obvious reasons for a variety of legal, policy, and even self-interested reasons. One of the things that the government is very interested in of course is not just what a given financial entity does, but who they do it WITH, and who THEY do things with, etc., etc.

However, one thing that struck me is HOW a lot of third party vendors help fulfill this - we can go and get background reports on individuals and companies that go through all the expected and normal channels. Credit reports, business news, background checks, etc., etc.

But there is quite a bit more out there being done these days. For example, we can get a report on an individual and who they are connected to in social media, whether that be Facebook, Google, Twitter, etc., And who THEY are connected with. And who THEY are connected with.

This is all public domain knowledge, of course. But it struck me that decisions can be made, important decisions about how entities are funded (or not), and the risk ratings associated to them, or even whether or not we can legally do business with them, based in part on who they are connected to via social media, and where those connections lead...

[The Brain]

If you have nothing to hide you're OK.

[Berkut]

If you have nothing to hide, and nobody you connect with has anything to hide, and nobody they connect with has anything to hide, and nobody....you're OK.

FYP

[Malthus]

... and now you are connected to this sorry lot here. 

[The Brain]

Languish isn't social media. It's antisocial media.

[lustindarkness]

Languish isn't social media. It's antisocial media.

This asshole states the truth.

[alfred russel]

If you have nothing to hide, and nobody you connect with has anything to hide, and nobody they connect with has anything to hide, and nobody....you're OK.

FYP

Birds of a feather flock together. 

[Martinus]

It's a broader question - at what point data gathering becomes discrimination.

I mean, I can with almost 99% certainty predict that someone is a gay male by looking at their Facebook profile for example. I assume other "sensitive" personal data can be determined in a similar way.

[Martinus]

If you know how to set your privacy settings you're OK.

FYP.

[Josquius]

It's just the start.
Big data is the wave of the future for HR. There are systems under development that trawl the Web finding everything they can about you and from that deducing whether you're fit for promotion, overseas transfer, etc....

[MadImmortalMan]

It's just the start.
Big data is the wave of the future for HR. There are systems under development that trawl the Web finding everything they can about you and from that deducing whether you're fit for promotion, overseas transfer, etc....

It's a "make sure the poor stay poor" system. 

[Jaron]

Sorry, Martinus. I had to unfriend you.

I can't be associated with someone with as questionable online activities as you.