IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - Winter 2013 - 30

devices to measure these data are generated and different
ways of thinking about exactly what self-trackers should
seek to achieve and how the movement should define itself
emerge. These changes require investigation and further
analysis, particularly as the concept of quantifying the self
is entering larger discussions, policies, and practices; for
example, in relation to healthcare, health insurance, and
health promotion. The quantified self/Quantified Self
phenomenon is no longer only about individuals focusing upon themselves, nor about the small data they collect, but has become part of major commercial enterprises,
the digital data economy, and government. In a context in
which digital data are becoming increasingly valued for
commercial purposes, the political and ethical aspects of
how personal data are generated, stored, and interpreted
should be identified and critiqued.

Author Information
The author is with the Department of Sociology and
Social Policy, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Email: deborah.lupton@sydney.edu.au.

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - Winter 2013
