The amount of data generated by people has been growing exponentially over the past decade. Inded, this surge in data has become so valuable that it has been widely described as the “new oil”. A new paper from the UK’s Government Office for Science explores the future of citizen data systems, and warns that while there are signficant benefits from such systems, there are also considerable risks.
“Citizen data presents enormous potential value to consumers, businesses and public authorities,” the report says. “In the digital age, a range of information about citizens can now be used far more easily for a wider set of purposes, and for purposes which were not initially anticipated.”
The report explores the various different approaches we might take towards the use of citizen data, its governance, and it’s control. It introduces examples from around the world to illustrate these possible choices, and how these regional approaches influence the local economy, security, and society of those areas. Through four scenarios to 2030, the report then explores how this situation might change.
Internationally mobile
The report highlights that data is increasingly mobile, and is often attached to the provision of goods and services, which renders it vital in any act of international diplomacy, collaboration, and trade. As such, the effectiveness of data governance, security, and regulation is crucial for the global economy, especially as malicious states are increasingly using data as a battle ground.
The uncertainty and complexity of data in the future underpins the four scenarios produced by the authors:
- Divergent data nationalism, whereby citizen engagement is low on data issues such as privacy and trust, which gives rise to nationalistic data policies and minimal technological innovation.
- Multipolarity, whereby citizen engagement on data issues is typically led by governments, with a subsequent hardening of the three main regional data systems and varied uptake of emerging data-driven technologies, with a solidification of incumbents market position.
- Deregulation, whereby data efforts are typically individualistic and led by business. This results in a relaxed regulatory environment around the world, alongside high levels of innovation and the consumer-led emergence of new business models.
- Multilateralism, whereby citizen engagement is high around the world, which leads to increased collaboration on data policies and resistance to some of the data-driven technologies that emerge. It will also likely lead to a disruption of existing business models due to international interventions that change the value of large datasets.
A holistic approach
The authors argue that a holistic approach to data systems will be required when developing a strategy so as to avoid any unintended consequences. This should involve a full appreciation of the complex interactions between businesses, government, the third sector and the public.
It’s an approach that has supposedly underpinned the UK’s National Data Strategy, which was launched alongside the report. The plan not only aims to expand the number of data analysts working across the public sector, but also address some of the barriers to data sharing.
While the strategy has been officially launched, it’s perhaps generous to refer to it as in beta mode, with a lot of fleshing out still to do. It’s also difficult not to cast somewhat unflattering glances when one compares it to the pretty detailed work undertaken by the EU on areas such as data governance and open data. I suppose the country has to start somewhere, however, so it will be interesting to see where it goes from here.
