IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - Fall 2014 - 7

EDITORIAL

Big Data's Big Future -
But for Whom?

W

hen we ponder on the future, scenariobased planning is one of a number of
approaches we can employ to consider
the "what-might-be" possibilities. These
are plausible scenarios that let us peer into the future,
not with certainty of what will eventuate but with a
spirit of consideration and preparedness.
Recently, Katina was invited to participate in Australia's Prime Minister & Cabinet series of workshops
on the state-society relationship. A number of fundamental questions were posed at the workshops relating to futures. Some of these are highly pertinent to
the thought-provoking Special Section guest edited
in this issue by the studious Associate Editor Jeremy
Pitt, Ada Diaconescu, and David Bollier, addressing matters of the digital society, big data, and social
awareness. The questions included:
1) What can governments use crowdsourcing for?
2) How does government operate in a networked
environment?
3) Can Big Data help government solve problems?
4) How will government respond to the empowered
individual?
5) How can governments effectively manage cities
to meet the challenges of urbanization?
6) How will the government communicate with its
citizens given instant communications?
To some degree answering one of these questions
provides insights into answers for others. for the purposes of this editorial, we'd rather ask:
1) What can citizens use crowdsourcing for?
2) How can companies effectively manage cities to
meet the challenges of urbanization?
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MTS.2014.2349572
Date of publication: 17 September 2014

IEEE TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY MAGAZINE

|

fALL 2014

KATINA MICHAEL

XI CHEN

It should come as no surprise that in the last
12 months, T&S Magazine has published articles on
a variety of themes relevant to the above-mentioned
questions, relating to smart grids, smart homes, smart
meters, energy monitoring, public technical means,
public sector information, open government, big data,
geosocial intelligence, the veillances (data-, sous- and
uber-), future government, crowdsourcing, collective
awareness, participatory government, and design science and development.
What binds all of these topical themes together is
the emphasis on finite resources available to serve
a growing highly mega-urbanized networked glocal population that places immense pressures on the
natural environment. Take for example the BeijingShanghai corridor fueled with several megacities that
are each suffering dire environmental problems. Scientists internationally have especially attempted to
raise alarm bells as they report on increases in carbon
emissions and air pollution, on rising sea levels (e.g.,
Jakarta), on changing weather patterns (El-Niño), on
dying species of plants and wildlife, on the need for
recycling and unacceptable means of waste disposal
(especially e-waste), and on the fundamental necessity for clean drinking water.
There is no such thing as the "land of plenty." Pristine artesian wells are being drilled as a last resort
to supplying water to the impoverished. Oil reserves
are fast depleting but stockpiles are in the hands of
the accumulators. Rich minerals like coal and iron ore
are being mined amidst a flurry of research activity
into affordable renewable energy sources. Categorically our present actions will have a direct impact on
our livelihoods (economic, health, social), and those
of our children, and our children's children.
But we are living in the "upgrade generation"
fueled by mass production, instantaneous consumption, and enough waste generation to land-fill entire
new nations. The core question is whether technology
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - Fall 2014

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