The importance of data-driven processes is widely recognised in the social sector. As a result, organisations are increasingly applying analytics to address ongoing issues and develop proactive responses to new phenomena (e.g., health, employment, fighting fraud, etc.). In this line, data-driven governance could empower social sector organisations to address increasingly complex socioeconomic challenges (e.g., employment and family support to evolving societies). The fast-advancing data technologies – Analytics, AI and Big Data – and the progressively better quality social data would provide the means for such developments.
However, some of the applications mentioned above are not without controversies. In particular, AI explainability and bias prevention, privacy and data ownership, and Big Data management and quality assurance require a thorough analysis and careful application in the social sector. This session will address these issues through a multidisciplinary panel involving researchers and practitioners, policymakers, and international organisations from the social sector.
