Using data for the public good: the roles of clear governance, good data and trustworthy institutions

Failure to use data effectively means we cannot deal with the most pressing issues that face us today, such as discrimination. Addressing this requires institutions that are fit to enable responsible use of data and technology for the public good, engaging civil society and the public as well as industry and government. The Royal Society's Data Governance Explainer (PDF) brings welcome clarity to a complex landscape. It builds upon another Royal Society report published in 2017, written in partnership with the British Academy, that helped set the wheels in motion within the government to create the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation (CDEI). Since then, the UK institutional landscape has seen an expansion of organisations that are working together to better understand how we effectively and responsibly adopt data-driven technologies and artificial intelligence.