The Rockefeller Foundation’s Global Headquarters in Midtown Manhattan recently played host to an important cross-sector gathering convened by UN Global Pulse (UNGP) and the Data & Society Research Institute (D&S). The topic: responsible data use. During the full-day event, Microsoft joined a group of 30 or so leading innovators – from non-profits, for-profits, think tanks, academic institutions, and multi-national organizations – to discuss a range of data-related issues from privacy to ethics to security. This first-of-its-kind gathering has been years in the making, as data becomes more ubiquitous and key questions arise related to both the increasing number of opportunities for positive impact and the imperative for responsible use.
D&S has emerged as a key driver of this work, having officially launched last month under the leadership of noted researcher and author danah boyd. With 12 fellows delving into specific foundational questions related to the role of data in the present age, D&S promises to add deep insights into key questions.
At Microsoft, we are committed to being responsible users of data – in fact, it is at the core of what we do. We believe that technology can empower users with their own information, and protect privacy throughout, as EVP & General Counsel Brad Smith has recently described.
We’re excited to continue collaborating with the incredible people and organizations we met at the Responsible Data Forum. We’d like to thank UNGP, in particular, for using its convening power to start this conversation at such a high level. Together, we can combine our expertise, insights, and resources to deliver tools, guidelines, and best practices that promise to help society unlock the substantial good that data offers, while protecting privacy and empowering individuals.