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F.A.Q.

General

I ordered a book but it never arrived, what should I do?

If your book didn’t arrive or if it arrived damaged, please get in touch at hello@bigdatagirl.com and we’ll be happy to sort it out for you.

How long does shipping take?

We try to ship orders within three days of receiving them. The estimated time varies depending on where it is being sent.

All orders are sent with Royal Mail:

~ For UK orders, Royal Mail aims to deliver the next working day, including Saturdays.

~ For Europe orders, 3-5 working days.

~ For the rest of the world, 6-7 working days.

Please mind that these times are estimated, and the ongoing impact of Covid-19 might be slowing down mail services. If after three weeks you still haven’t gotten your orders, please get in touch to see how we can sort it out.

Important EU Shipping Information

I love your book and I would like to stock it in my bookshop. How would I go about it?

We would be very happy to discuss a partnership or just provide you with books for sale. Please get in touch about wholesales using our e-mail: wholesale@bigdatagirl.com

Can I buy your book at a bookshop?

Unfortunately not yet, but feel free to go into your local bookshop and ask if they want to stock us!

The Book

Who is the book for?

Big Data Girl is written for adults and kids alike about Big Data and how it affects our lives each day. It blends the superhuman stories, engaging rhyming structure, playful illustrations and thoughtful metaphor, that children's illustrated books have always used to teach children, to educate anyone on the complex world we live in today.

How does the book explain Big Data?

In the book, we chose to personify Big Data as a little girl who has the power to see all of her friends' data. She goes on a journey to help her friends and discover the limits of her power, from recommending them perfect books based on their reading histories to giving friends perfect birthday presents based on their internet shopping history.

However, after some time her kindness leads her to upset some of her friends. They take issue in how she invades their privacy, how she accidentally lets slip sensitive information and how she refuses to limit her power.

As you follow Big Data Girl’s journey in the book, you will discover more about the power Big Data has in our world and the implications on all our lives. Importantly Big Data Girl doesn't try to say Big Data is "bad" or "good". It just explains how it works, how it affects your life and then lets you, the reader, make up your own mind.

Why is it important to understand Big Data?

It seems like we hear about topics such as Big Data and Data Privacy more and more recently. We hear the good, like how Big Data may help us fight Covid or how it could be the key to stopping climate change. We also hear the bad, like how Big Data is used to sway elections or surveil populations.

However, not many of us know how it works or how it impacts us day to day. This can lead us, or people we know, to jump to worrying conclusions, Is Facebook using my phone’s microphone to record me? Is the government tracking my every movement with the Covid Warning App? Is it 1984?

Or we are left feeling that we have nothing to worry about. After all, we are just normal law-abiding people. What does it matter if Google knows what I binge on TV? Why should I care that my supermarket knows I drink 4 cups of coffee a day?

Both these responses are troublesome. By irrational fear, we close ourselves off to the amazing benefits that Big Data can offer. But by being complacent, we open ourselves up to bad actors and long term impacts on our life.

So how do we develop a balanced opinion and take back control of our digital lives? Well, information isn’t enough, what we need is understanding. That’s what “Big Data Girl” provides, the basic information about Big Data communicated in a way that anyone can understand. So that everyone can have the basic knowledge to navigate this new Big Data world, whatever it throws at us.

The Authors

Who is Fred Wordie?

Heya, I’m Fred Wordie and true to my name I wrote all the words in Big Data Girl. I’m a Berlin-based artist & critical designer. My work attempts to create discussion and debate about the power technology, and the companies who wield it, have in our world.

Find out more about Fred and his work here: fredwordie.com

Who is Santiago Taberna?

Hi, I’m Santiago, an artist and illustrator born in Argentina now living in Glasgow, Scotland. My work uses loose lines and bold colour palettes, as well as the various playful characters to inhabit the wonderful worlds he creates.

Find out more about Santiago and his work here: santiagotaberna.com or Instagram

Data

I want to take more control of my data, any advice?

We are no experts in this but luckily others are. One great resource we use is Tactical Tech + Mozilla’s Data Detox Kit, that lays out steps to help make your experience with technology safer and more secure.

What data do you collect on me?

We have tried as hard as possible to only collect data on you that enables us to deliver you your purchases and never for 3rd party marketing services.

We have also strived to only partner with service providers we ourselves trust. For managing payments we use Gumroad, a creator focused ecommerce platform, who have allowed us to remove trackers from Facebook and Google (harder than you think). To check how our website is performing we use Fathom, a privacy focused analytic solution that anonymises all user data.

Learn more about it in our privacy policy