A Brave New World: Democracy and Big Data

Next year China is expected to implement a far-reaching Social Credit system, using data collected from a multitude of digital sources to score the “trustworthiness” of its citizens. For many in the West, such all-encompassing surveillance might sound darkly Orwellian. But the platforms and devices used by the Chinese system are proliferating, and today the United States government and tech giants like Facebook and Google, possess previously unimaginable troves of information on the public’s activities and interests. How can democratic societies prevent this mass collection of data from being misused in ways that undermine rights and freedoms, or leave public opinion open to manipulation? Where do we draw the line between privacy and transparency in the digital age?

The panel discussion will be followed by a special networking reception to mark the tenth anniversary of the Council’s Emerging Leaders program.

Speakers:

Elizabeth Banker, Vice President and Associate General Counsel, Internet Association; Michelle Richardson, Director of the Data & Privacy Project, Center for Democracy and Technology; Adrian Shahbaz, Research Director, Technology and Democracy, Freedom House. Moderated by Lauren Buitta