Data philanthropy

Data philanthropy describes a form of collaboration in which private sector companies share data for public benefit. There are multiple uses of data philanthropy being explored from humanitarian, corporate, human rights, and academic use. Since the introduction of this term the United Nations Global Pulse has begun pushing for a global “data philanthropy movement.”

A large amount of data collected from the Internet comes from user-generated content. This includes blogs, posts on social networks, and information submitted in forms. Besides user-generated data, corporations are also currently data mining data from consumers in order to understand customers, identify new markets, and make investment decisions. Kirkpatrick the Director at United Nations Global Pulse labels this data “massive passive data” or “data exhaust.” Data philanthropy is the idea that something positive can come from this overload of data. Data philanthropy is defined as the private sector sharing this data in ways that the public can benefit. The term philanthropy helps to emphasis that data sharing is a positive act and that the shared data is a public good.

A challenge that comes with sharing data is the Internet privacy of the user whose data is being used. Mathematical techniques (differential privacy and space time boxes) have been introduced in order to make personal data accessible, while providing the users providing such data with anonymity. But even if these algorithms work there is always the possibility and fear of re-identification.

The other challenge is convincing corporations to share their data. The big data corporations collect provides them with market competitiveness. They are able to infer meaning regarding consumer behavior. The fear is that by sharing all their information, they may lose their competitive edge.

The goal of data philanthropy is to create a global data commons where companies, governments, and individuals can contribute anonymous, aggregated datasets. The United Nations Global Pulse offers four different tactics that companies can use to share their data that preserve consumer anonymity. These include:

By providing these four tactics United Nations Global Pulse hopes to provide initiative and options for companies to share their data with the public.

Data philanthropy has led to advancements in the field of health and wellness. By using data gathered from social media, cell phones, and other communication modes health researchers have been able to track the spread of diseases.

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Wikipedia