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The Next Horizon of Technology Assessment
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Although big data experienced a high level of attention recently, a short review of articles and public debates reveals strong ambiguities and uncertainties. Besides much confusion about the question what big data actually is, often its potentials, for better and for worse, as well as its limitations are mashed up. Moreover, it often lacks a clear differentiation from related concepts as well as an understanding what types of big data applications exist and how they are used.
Instead, big data is more often used as a cipher for the fears and concerns or, in opposite, the promises and hopes of the digitalization as a whole. In particular the disclosure on the practices of the NSA and other intelligence services boosted this strand of discussion. Given this controversial situation, the need for technology assessment (TA) is as obvious as the challenges and risks it bears. Based on a pilot study for the Office of Technology Assessment of the German Bundestag on the combination of big data and cloud computing, the presentation will reflect on experiences made during the project as well as on the results of the study. In a first step, it will address the question how the blurry concept of big data can be tackled in a TA study. This includes questions asking for the extent of technical details necessary to understand concepts and applications, methods suited to map the various possible applications today and in future as well as possibilities to derive potentials and challenges of big data. Furthermore, it shows the considerations on the scope and focus of the study in relation to the current public debates. In a second step, it will present the main findings of the study. Although there are potentials and challenges in many areas, the presentation will first provide an overview and then focus on societal potentials and challenges in particular.
In this context, the implications of a shift from causality to probability on science, business, society and policy will first be described and analyzed. Subsequently, the presentation will address the societal impacts arising from it. This includes, among others, impacts on autonomy, partaking in society, transparency and participation, knowledge and innovation. In a final third step, needs for further research and political action arising from the impacts will be presented and stakeholder responses will be reflected.
Niklas Gudowsky - Personal Name
1st Edtion
NONE
The Next Horizon of Technology Assessment
Management
English
2010
1-118
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