Final answer:
The Strava dataset example shows how differential privacy safeguards individual identities but can distort data on groups, leading to potential harms in representations and policy decisions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Strava dataset example illustrates that while differential privacy can protect individuals, it can still harm groups. Differential privacy is a system that adds 'noise' to a dataset to prevent the identification of individuals.
However, this can lead to inaccurate representations of groups, especially if the dataset does not properly represent the diversity of the larger population. For example, researchers trying to understand environmental impacts on health may find differential privacy obscures crucial data points that are significant for certain groups.
Moreover, this can also affect policy decisions that rely on accurate demographic and sociological data. When data is distorted to protect individual privacy, it can inadvertently misrepresent groups, leading to potential harm in terms of resource allocation, public perception, and socioeconomic planning.