Today, big data is exploited by corporations and misused by hackers, usually to make money. And we're practically inundated with instances of online privacy violations and data breaches. But some experts believe we can better harness the power of big data for scientific research. By getting a fine-grained picture of individuals, big data research could vastly strengthen diagnosis and treatment of psychological conditions, such as bipolar disorder. This technology also puts the individual user back in control of their data — and even enables them to profit.

Hosted by Lynne Malcolm for the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences. Featuring Professor Simon Dennis and data security consultant Troy Hunt. Our production team is: Carly Godden (producer), Amy Bugeja and Mairead Murray (assistant producers), Arch Cuthburtson (sound engineer) and Chris Falk (music).