It could be that the government in the UK is not doing enough to promote big data benefits to businesses. Because of this, the House of Commons Select Committee on Science and Technology has announced an inquiry to examine the facts. The committee is asking for written submissions to be delivered to it by 3rd September.
The brief of the committee will not only deal with the promotion of big data benefits but also examine possible issues surrounding data protection and privacy laws. The report follows on from a 2014 publication that looked into the responsible use of social media data.
Big data was part of “eight great technologies” that the last government identified, which included green IT. The committee has defined big data as “ways of handling datasets so large, dynamic and complex that traditional techniques are insufficient to analyse their content.”
Sue Daley, the head of big data, cloud and mobile at tech organisation techUK, was happy that an inquiry had been inaugurated by the committee, and stressed just how vast the potential is for businesses. Big data could help drive productivity, economic growth and job creation if this potential were released by educating businesses how to use it correctly. She said: “For every organisation and citizen across the UK to realise the full potential, benefits and value of big data, it’s vital we raise understanding and awareness of what big data is and where the opportunities lie.
“It’s important the inquiry takes into account the full breadth and depth of big data and the role of data analytics. It’s not just about social media or personalised advertising – big data has the potential to offer a wider range of benefits and efficiencies to organisations across both the public and private sectors.”