A Comparison of the Effects of K-Anonymity on Machine Learning Algorithms

While research has been conducted in machine learning algorithms and in privacy preserving in data mining (PPDM), a gap in the literature exists which combines the aforementioned areas to determine how PPDM affects common machine learning algorithms. The aim of this research is to narrow this literature gap by investigating how a common PPDM algorithm, K-Anonymity, affects common machine learning and data mining algorithms, namely neural networks, logistic regression, decision trees, and Bayesian classifiers. This applied research reveals practical implications for applying PPDM to data mining and machine learning and serves as a critical first step learning how to apply PPDM to machine learning algorithms and the effects of PPDM on machine learning. Results indicate that certain machine learning algorithms are more suited for use with PPDM techniques.