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| 1 | +Conceptual overview |
| 2 | +=================== |
| 3 | + |
| 4 | +The term data anonymization refers to techiniques that can be applied on a given dataset, D, such that after |
| 5 | +the latter has been submitted to such techniques, it makes it difficult for a third party to identify or infer the existence |
| 6 | +of specific individuals in D. Anonymization techniques, typically result into some sort of distortion |
| 7 | +of the original dataset. This means that in order to maintain some utility of the transformed dataset, the transofrmations |
| 8 | +applied should be constrained in some sense. In the end, it can be argued, that data anonymization is an optimization problem |
| 9 | +meaning striking the right balance between data utility and privacy. |
| 10 | + |
| 11 | +Reinforcement learning is a learning framework based on accumulated experience. In this paradigm, an agent is learning by iteracting with an environment |
| 12 | +without (to a large extent) any supervision. The following image describes, schematically, the reinforcement learning framework . |
| 13 | + |
| 14 | + |
| 15 | + |
| 16 | +The agent chooses an action, ```a_t```, to perform out of predefined set of actions ```A```. The chosen action is executed by the environment |
| 17 | +instance and returns to the agent a reward signal, ```r_t```, as well as the new state, ```s_t```, that the enviroment is in. |
| 18 | +The framework has successfully been used to many recent advances in control, robotics, games and elsewhere. |
| 19 | + |
| 20 | + |
| 21 | +Let's assume that we have in our disposal two numbers a minimum distortion, ```MIN_DIST``` that should be applied to the dataset |
| 22 | +for achieving privacy and a maximum distortion, ```MAX_DIST```, that should be applied to the dataset in order to maintain some utility. |
| 23 | +Let's assume also that any overall dataset distortion in ```[MIN_DIST, MAX_DIST]``` is acceptable in order to cast the dataset as |
| 24 | +preserving privacy and preserving dataset utility. We can then train a reinforcement learning agent to distort the dataset |
| 25 | +such that the aforementioned objective is achieved. |
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