How Europe's policy makers can boost the data economy and deliver digital neutrality

Shivvy J

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By Richard Benjamins (@vrbenjamins), Group Director Business Intelligence & Big Data, Telefónica

16 October, 2014: Yesterday, I had the honour of presenting the keynote at a Big Data event organized by European Voice in Brussels, just after the opening by Neelie Kroes. The participants were a mix: we had the European Commission, businesses, NGOs, associations, start-ups, regulation and privacy specialists. A “digitally literate” audience, evidenced by the social media activity during the event. The main theme? What does Europe need to do to take full advantage of the (big) data opportunity, and avoid losing (more) ground to the rest of the world.

There’s a need to create great services based on data that people both understand AND want.

There was general agreement that the explosion in data could mark the moment when Europe changes its course, overcomes its current economic situation and starts to regain its leadership in innovation. But to achieve this, there are specific actions that are required of Europe’s policy makers to boost the data economy, build digital confidence and deliver digital neutrality.

A challenge Europe faces is finding the right balance between seizing the data opportunity on the one hand, and protecting an individual’s privacy on the other. To create great services based on data that people both understand and want, we need to pay close attention to the ‘TACT’ data values framework. TACT: Transparency, Added Value, Control and Trust. Respecting those values, Europe will create this much-needed digital confidence.

The inventor of the World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee concurs, telling an audience in London last week that personal data must be owned by its subject, rather than corporations, advertisers and analysts. He argues that if you give people the ability to see how data is used, and you ban its misuse, then they would be far happier to open up to their data being used.

At the same time, it is vital that the reform of the European data protection rules is completed soon, with the right mix of detailed rules and risk-based controls that consider not only how data is collected but also how it is used. And the rules should aim to protect people first, rather than data.

We’ve identified several priorities that should be reflected in the programme of the new European Commission.

In order to boost the data economy, there should be a clear focus on Open Data ecosystems, and Europe’s data protection rules. To build digital confidence, action is needed on data transparency as well as a clear focus on digital literacy. And finally, to deliver an open and safe Internet experience we need rules that allow consumers to have a portable digital life – giving individuals the same service and same rules regardless of the device or platform they are using.