Category: Publications

Many wealthy states are transitioning to a new economy built on data. Individuals and firms in these states have expertise in using data to create new goods and services as well as in how to use data to solve complex problems. Other states may be rich in data but do not yet see their citizens’ personal data or their public data as an asset. Most states are learning how to govern and maintain trust in the data-driven economy; however, many developing countries are not well-positioned to govern data in a way that encourages development.

Recent Publications

Companies, governments and individuals are using data to create new services such as apps, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things. These data-driven services rely on large pools of data and a relatively unhindered flow of data across borders (few market access or governance barriers). The current approach to governing cross-border data flows through trade agreements has not led to binding, universal or interoperable rules governing the use of data. Most countries with significant data-driven firms are in the process of debating how to regulate these services and the data that underpins them.

Recent Publications

In 2017, the International Telecommunications Union reported that almost half (48 percent) of the world’s 7.6 billion people are online. Every day, more people — especially citizens in the developing world — gain internet access. As these individuals supply, demand and send ever more data across borders, they are also creating a global digital economy. As data flows between individuals, firms and governments across borders, these entities process that data, creating new services. Because many of these cross-border data flows are directly or indirectly associated with a commercial transaction, they are essentially “traded.”

Recent Publications