What do we mean by “serving the public good”? What are the gaps in our understanding of how to make things serve the public good? How do we fill those gaps?
‘Public good’ is a term that is frequently used in debates about data, statistics and AI. It features prominently in UK government statistics policy and strategy. Tthe UK Statistics Authority’s Five Year Strategy 2020-2025 is called
Statistics for the public good.
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 first 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 do we mean by “serving the public good”? What are the gaps in our understanding of how to make things serve the public good? And how do we fill those gaps?
Members - free to attend
Non members - £10