Big Data: what is it and how can (could?) it contribute to sustainable development?

Transcription

1 Big Data: what is it and how can (could?) it contribute to sustainable development? Emmanuel Letouzé, PhD Director and co-founder Data-Pop Alliance Visiting Scholar MIT Media Lab Research Associate ODI UNSSC- Data-Pop Alliance Webinar Series on Data for Sustainable Development March 30 th 2017

2 Data-Pop Alliance is a global coalition on Big Data & development created by the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, MIT Media Lab, and Overseas Development Institute joined by Flowminder, bringing together researchers, experts, practitioners and activists to promote a peoplecentered Big Data revolution through collaborative research, capacity building, and policy work

3 Leadership Prof. Alex Sandy Pentland Academic Director Dr Nuria Oliver Ramirez Chief Data Scientist Dr Linus Bengtsson Prof. Patrick Vinck Co-Director & Co-Founder Elizabeth Stuart Co-Director for ODI Prof. Phuong Pham Co-Director for HHI Dr Emmanuel Letouzé Director & Co-Founder Dr Emma Samman

4 1. Context and Concepts

5 SENSE NETWORKS INC. Copyright 2016 Alex Pentland

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7 We are at the beginning of what I call The Industrial Revolution of Data. Joseph Hellerstein, November 19, 2008 (Science, 2009) (2015) (2014) (2012)

8 Data-bundance in the age of inequalities, post-truth politics, mass surveillance, climate change, civil wars

9 Ian Morris, chart of all human history

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11 Why do we measure stuff? What is the underlying theory / world view? Example: why do we measure our kids? (hint: it s not just to make sure they grow)

12 (Big) Data revolution, SDGs & sust. development March How can (Big) Data help monitor the SDGs by filling data gaps with more granular & disaggregated data - and what does monitoring something do to that something? 1. How can (Big) Data help promote (or impede?) the SDGs and their underlying vision and objectives?

13 But what is Big Data? From large datasets to an ecosystem s perspective Source: E. Letouzé

14 Source: E. Letouzé

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18 2. State of Affairs on Big Data and SDGs Monitoring

19 Most research has used Call Detail Records

20 Socio-demographic indicators including poverty, literacy

21 Mobility

22 Criminality

23 Epidemiology

24 Big Data s relevance SDG monitoring *NON EXCLUSIVE/FOR ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES

25 Big Data s relevance for SDG monitoring

26 3. Hurdles and Requirements to Leverage Big Data for Sustainable Development

27 Next frontiers: sample bias correction

28 Environmental effects Data centers CO 2 emissions > Entire airline industry

29 Beyond technologies, methodologies and policies: ethics, politics and power Jonathan Glemmie, The Guardian, Oct 3, 2013

30 People should and (probably) will get greater control over the use of their data

31 This requires spurring data literacy - but reconsidered as literacy in the age of data "Writing is a strange thing. If my hypothesis is correct, the primary function of writing, as a means of communication, is to facilitate the enslavement of other human beings. ( ) The fight against illiteracy goes on par with an increase in the control of the Power over citizens. Avoid this with data. Accelerate positive history We define data literacy as the the desire and ability to constructively engage in society through or about data.

32 4. Featured Projects on (1) Data Literacy, (2) Open Algorithms (OPAL), (3) Urban Labs for the SGDs

33 Featured project 1: Professional training program with UNSSC/Hewlett funding 3-4 day face-to-face training workshops led by experts from our network plans: Bogotá, MIT Media Lab, Nairobi, Bangkok, Dakar, Kigali Webinar series + E-library + videos + all material / content available online by Q Future: specialized modules for official statisticians; for youth and kids

34 Featured project 2: [ [

35 Featured project 3: Urban Labs for the SDGS Data-Pop Alliance with with key partners MIT Connection Science are working to develop and deploy connected research, training and policy activities in Urban Labs for the SDGs anchored in major cities around the world as part of larger regional Data Spaces starting in Bogotá since 2013, then Dakar

36 Thank you For more information Contact Follow us on Twitter & Hosted at ThoughtWorks NYC 99 Madison Avenue, 15th Floor New York, NY 10016