Shitload of Data

How much data do you leave behind? An artifact of information technologies is the gathering, storage and analysis of the enormous amount of data generated by humans. With many parties interested in this information, how do we value our individual data? Do we even understand its worth?

At the exhibition there are two toilets. Rather than being divided into "Man" and "Woman" toilets, they are now separated as "Paid" and "Free". The use of both toilets requires prior signing of the Toilets Terms of Service at the lavatory attendant’s table. The Terms of Service document explains the difference between the two toilets. The "Paid" toilet is a regular toilet, for which exhibition visitors have to pay 50 euro cents to use. The "Free" toilet is sponsored by a Company which collects data from your bodily excretions of your toilet use in return of offering you the service of a free toilet. Furthermore, as to attract clièntele for this sponsored toilet, additional entertainment (toilet literature, quiz book, music, etc.) and comfort (air freshener, perfumed candles, toilet rug, etc.) is provided. On the other hand, the paid toilet is plastered with advertising (including for the Company). The users of the sponsored toilet additionally receive an id number from the lavatory attendant as to help them recognize their own data set at the data visualisation installation.

Shitload of Data was conceived in collaboration with:

• Eva Aussems
• Beryl Noë