The major problems associated with big data – and their solution

The digital revolution is increasingly turning into a data revolution and ‘big data’ is one of today’s buzzwords. The economic value of data analysis is no longer the focus. Data define our everyday communications and work; areas that extend deep into society and into every individual’s private sphere.

The Vodafone Institute has been collaborating with the Data-Pop Alliance since 2014 to organise the “Digitising Europe Initiative” events and gain insights into our future data-driven lives. Since then, experts and stakeholders have spoken at events in Berlin and Brussels.

The ‘Big Data and Privacy’ policy paper is the first scientific summary of the insights gained during the discussions, workshops and expert talks relating to the current European debate on the data revolution.

The authors Emmanuel Letouzé and David Sangokoya from Data-Pop Alliance developed three key arguments for a politically feasible, economically viable and socially acceptable data revolution roadmap in their policy paper:

• Redefine the consumer’s role – because it is consumer data which is collected, analysed and used

• Optimise data use – because key elements of the process are social acceptance and government regulation, in addition to economic efficiency

• Make the public debate objective – the pros and cons of big data have to be regularly reviewed and placed in the context of society-wide debates and issues

The focus of the big data debate is inevitably shifting away from the technical dimension of data collection to the sustainable, transparent and responsible use of data.

Here you can find the entire paper:

• Policy Paper Digitising Europe (PDF)