Technology and data have transformed the way we live, work and play. So far, the outcomes have been mixed. While we are undoubtedly more connected and better informed, we’re simultaneously more anxious about the pace of change and our personal privacy. And rightly so. Last year’s Cambridge Analytica scandal showed us just how easily our personal data can be amassed, extracted and exploited for political gain.

Looked at another way, though, technology and data have the potential, if harnessed for good, to alleviate some of the world’s most pressing global challenges – including climate change, global pandemics and human trafficking. Data on its own is not the answer. Never in human history have we had access to so much data. The challenge is that most of it sits in silos, leaving us with an incomplete picture of complex social issues. Take human trafficking as an example.

Source: weforum.org
Author: Bob Grove