Today, data underpins much of the global economy, yet some 70 companies and a few government entities in high-income nations control significant percentages of that data. Researchers have shown that increased data sharing could jumpstart growth, stimulate innovation, help mitigate wicked problems, improve public service delivery, and create new pathways for individuals and companies around the world to prosper. However, the public and private entities that control large troves of personal and proprietary data are not incentivized to share this data—in fact, many firms hoard data because they assess it will have significant value in the future. Moreover, many of these entities don’t have a good handle on what data they hold, let alone its potential value for growth and research. Meanwhile, individuals may not be comfortable with the sharing of data about them unless they are confident that it is protected and effectively anonymized.

Despite this complexity, some governments are forging ahead with steps to encourage, and in some cases even mandate, data sharing among societal entities. Policymakers in the EU and India have proposed frameworks requiring firms to share some of their data under certain conditions. Join us for a discussion about how these frameworks intend to tackle the challenges of today’s data economy, where they fall short, and the direction data sharing policymaking might be headed worldwide.

Speakers:

•  Zuzanna Warso, Director of Research, Open Future
• Parminder Jeet Singh, Executive Director, IT for Change

Moderated by Adam Zable, Director of Emerging Technology, Digital Trade and Data Governance Hub