by Angela Guess
The World Economic Forum has posted a new paper titled Big Data, Big Impact: New Possibilities for International Development. The paper is available for download here. According to the abstract, “The amount of data in the world is exploding – large portion of this comes from the interactions over mobile devices being used by people in the developing world – people whose needs and habits have been poorly understood until now.”
The abstract continues, “Researchers and policymakers are beginning to realize the potential for channeling these torrents of data into actionable information that can be used to identify needs & provide services for the benefit of low-income populations. This discussion note is a Call-to-action for stakeholders for concerted action to ensure that this data helps the individuals and communities who create it.”
photo credit: World Economic Forum
