Data, AI and statistics as a digital public good

Date: Wednesday 06 November 2024, 12.00PM
Location: Online
Section Group Meeting


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What is a digital public good? When is data, AI and statistics a public good, and when is it not? Are any digital public goods that could help statisticians serve the public good missing? How do we build and govern digital public goods?

While some work has been undertaken to unpick this term by understanding how the public think of it, and to review how the public good can be enhanced to support policy makers, regulators and practitioners, there is more work to be done to ensure that statistics truly serve the good of the UK public.
 
Meanwhile there is growing attention around the world to the concept of ‘digital public goods’ to help attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
 
The UN defines digital public goods as “solutions and systems that enable the effective provision of essential society-wide functions and services in the public and private sectors”.
 
Identity assurance and payment systems are well-known examples of digital public goods. Certificate transparency, which underpins website security, a less well-known example. In the world of statistics things like national statistics or the new ONS Integrated Data Service are also digital public goods. But what other kinds of digital public goods might, or should, exist that are relevant to statisticians? 
 
This is the second in series of two events that will explore both of these concepts of ‘public good’ through expert panels and discussion including practitioners, policymakers and regulators.
 
This event will discuss questions such as what is a digital public good? When is data, AI and statistics a public good, and when is it not? Are any digital public goods that could help statisticians serve the public good missing? And how do we build and govern digital public goods?
 
 
Krisstina Rao (UCL IIPP)

Steve Macfeely (OECD)

Nicola Hamilton (Understanding Patient Data)
 
Peter Wells peterkwells@gmail.com for RSS Data Ethics & Governance Section
 
Member - free to attend 

Non Member - £10