Data

Data is any type of facts or instructions that is stored on a computer or a server. The data can become classified as information when it becomes processed in a meaningful way. Data has now become a hot asset for companies, as they can profit off it through data analytics and processing. It can be used to gather demographics and other more personal information about users.

Metadata is information about data such as location and time a device is being used. Information that is specifically for tracking location is called geolocation.

Recently, Facebook has been called out for not protecting its users' personal data from a company, Cambridge Analytica, who was able to harvest data from 87 million users. This has caused an influx of users to delete their Facebook accounts due to concern over protecting their personal information.

Cyber attacks often result in an aftermath which releases important data such as social security numbers, credit cards, email addresses, passwords, and much more. The growth of mobile devices has made data a very valuable asset.

References
 * 1) Granville, K. (2018). Facebook and Cambridge Analytica: What You Need to Know as Fallout Widens. [online] Nytimes.com. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/19/technology/facebook-cambridge-analytica-explained.html [Accessed 11 Apr. 2018].
 * 2) Data. (n.d.). Retrieved April 11, 2018, from https://techterms.com/definition/data
 * 3) https://techterms.com/definition/metadata