Data Lies Too: Methodological and Ethical Issues with 'Everybody Lies'

PyData Ireland is excited to present the first meetup of 2025 in association with AI Safety Dublin.

AI Safety Dublin is a growing grassroots AI community working to reduce risks from advanced AI by raising awareness, upskilling and creating opportunities for a safer AI world of tomorrow.

## About This Event

Join us for an insightful examination of the limitations and ethical considerations of big data analysis as presented in Seth Stephens-Davidowitz's popular book "Everybody Lies." While big data offers powerful insights, this talk challenges us to think critically about what data can truly tell us and the ethical boundaries we should observe.

## Talk Description

In his bestselling book "Everybody Lies," Seth Stephens-Davidowitz claims to use big data to reveal hidden truths about human behavior and answer society's most pressing questions. But how reliable are these conclusions? Can Google searches and social media truly unlock the secrets of human nature?
Aonghus McGovern, Staff Product Analyst at HubSpot, will deconstruct the methodological foundations of big data analysis and explore the ethical implications of mining personal data. Through practical examples and case studies, this talk will demonstrate how seemingly compelling narratives can be built on faulty assumptions about data, people, and the complex relationship between the two.
Whether you're a data professional, privacy advocate, or simply curious about the limits of big data's explanatory power, this session will equip you with frameworks to approach data analysis more critically and ethically.

## What You'll Learn

1. How to effectively probe datasets to understand their limitations and determine what questions they can and cannot answer
2. Techniques for developing more robust analyses that combine quantitative insights with qualitative human expertise
3. Practical approaches to protecting user privacy and anonymity in the age of ubiquitous data collection
4. Common pitfalls in big data interpretation and how to avoid them
5. Ethical frameworks for deciding when and how to use sensitive data

## Who Should Attend

• Data scientists and analysts
• Product managers and UX researchers
• Privacy and ethics professionals
• Anyone interested in the societal impact of big data
• Readers of "Everybody Lies" seeking a critical perspective

## About the Speaker

Aonghus McGovern, Staff Product Analyst at HubSpot
LinkedIn Profile

Aonghus brings extensive experience in product analytics, with a focus on balancing data-driven insights with ethical considerations. At HubSpot, he works closely with product teams to develop responsible data practices that respect user privacy while delivering actionable business intelligence.