[Guest Post] Why Open Data is accelerating socio-economic change

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GUEST BLOGS, INNOVATION GUEST BLOG, OPEN AGENDA

By William Hoffman, Head of Data-Driven Development, World Economic Forum (@wef)

5 December 2013: When Galileo revolutionised the telescope he saw things in the cosmos that were previously misunderstood or in effect non-existent. The same is true with open data. It provides a new lens for seeing the world at both the microscopic and macroscopic level. By discovering new relationships and acting on them in a trusted and principled manner, we can change the world. Open data can transform society and help us address some of our biggest global challenges.

The era of big data should not be viewed solely as a technical revolution. The most significant potential for change lies at the societal level.

Democratising data

To ensure the benefits of open data extend to everyone, a few key elements need to be in place. Easy to use tools, available skillsets and interoperable data resources need to be accessible and affordable. (Kathryn Parsons discusses this in detail in the first part of #TheOpenAgenda).

Yet, the era of big data should not be viewed solely as a technical revolution. The most significant potential for change lies at the societal level. The transformative power of the hyperconnected world is in its relational capabilities. Through open data, individuals, institutions and sovereign nations can coordinate, connect and adapt in a variety of new ways.

In this light, the most significant challenge lies in the evolution of our social structures. Our legal and regulatory institutions were built for another era and generally not equipped to address the dynamics of how networked information systems create and exchange value. The physical world is different than the virtual one.

Beyond the issue of privacy it is also important not to be seduced by the power of big data. Data is never neutral

Competing claims on property ownership is arguably where the greatest tensions lie. Establishing and enforcing absolute ownership claims over intangible digital assets can be challenging. We need to start to move to notions focused around the co-management of data where rights and obligations are shared. This type of governance structure will be better suited for the dynamic and distributed value flows of the digital economy. At the World Economic Forum we are looking at new approaches to let individuals have at least a copy of that data and to be able to use it in ways that create new forms of value.

The challenges of personal data

As the amount of data generated by and about individuals increases, a core challenge is the issue of privacy. Trust in how personal data is collected and used is largely broken. The lack of transparency and control individuals have over how their data is used continues to create tension in the ecosystem. In today’s complex world, we lack effective policy frameworks, the means to uphold them and user-centred business models that reward privacy. With new business, legal and technical innovations the ecosystem can rebalance itself around the individual.

From a technological perspective, a core challenge is that it is impossible to know who has your data, where it is physically stored or how it is being used. The ability for data to be copied and transferred without limits creates systemic risk. Innovation is needed in the area of metadata. Provenance and permissions of usage need to flow with data. If this happens, approaches can emerge where the usage of data can be more effectively governed with greater granularity and control.

Additionally, the concept of transparency needs to be reclaimed. The binary choice of notice and consent is no longer adequate. The world is simply too complex and we can’t keep off-loading risk to individuals as they blindly click “I Agree”. We need simplified tools and approaches that more effectively engage with individuals in meaningful, fair and contextually relevant choices.

Beyond the issue of privacy it is also important not to be seduced by the power of big data. Data is never neutral.

As Kenneth Cukier and Viktor Mayer-Schonberger note in their recent book ‘Big Data: A Revolution That Will Transform the Way we Live, Work and Think’, “there is a risk that big data predictions, and the algorithms behind them, will become black boxes that offer us no accountability, traceability or confidence.”

We need to be able to explain the outcomes and consequences rendered by big data. It needs to be done in human terms and provide due process when harms occur.

This concern is particularly acute in the context of international development when the analysis includes data from people living in extreme poverty. The difference between observation for the common good and surveillance of the most vulnerable is an important distinction to be made.

Perhaps the biggest challenge is changing perceptions. The current popular narrative of big data is anchored in fear and complexity. We lack true north. In the complex, accelerating and hyperconnected world, we need a clear set of guiding principles that can serve to strengthen trust, empower individuals and prevent against agreed upon harms.

In the end, it’s up to society to decide how the era of big data will evolve. We can build new types of weapons or create new tools for social good. It’s up to us to decide the path we choose.

Openness is worth fighting for so add your voice – “I support openness in digital, technology & innovation #TheOpenAgenda http://bit.ly/openagenda” Tweet this directly