Nothing could be so dangerous as big data wrongly interpreted and manipulated

Regulators gathered data on credit risks and developed their risk weighted capital requirements for banks… more risk, more capital – less risk less capital.

But the data they were looking at was the ex-ante perceived credit risks, and not the ex-post possible risks after the ex-ante risks had been cleared for.

And therefore they never realized that what is most dangerous for the banking system is what is perceived very safe and could therefore create large exposures; while what is perceived as very risky is by that fact alone, made innocuous for the banking system

And as a consequence we have already suffered a big crisis because of excessive exposures to AAA rated securities backed with mortgages to the subprime sector; and millions of those risky young dreaming of an opportunity of a bank credit to prosper, have had to give up their dreams or pay higher interest rates that made them even riskier. 

So friends, always prefer well interpreted and well manipulated small data over mishandled big data.