Big data, threat and opportunity

Developing new products and services, improving or extending the lifespan of older ones, customizing services, reducing costs – all these uses of big data make it a tremendous opportunity to stimulate growth through efficiency and innovation. All sectors of activity should benefit provided they have access to it and know how to use it. However, it is not the case. Data is not an economic good like any other and the market is failing.

Some data are monopolized by players, the digital giants, who derive substantial gains from the data they have acquired from users. They don’t want to share it.

The production and editing of data can be complex and costly, the market is opaque and incentives to invest are limited in the absence of appropriate skills and legal frameworks.

The regulatory framework must incorporate privacy, which implies not only control over the collection and use of data but also over the conditions of its storage to prevent its loss through cyber-attacks.

It is up to us to respond to these challenges