Data-Pop Alliance was born 7 years ago out of the recognition that the defining element of the 21st century would be data. Since, phrases such as ”Big Data” and “Data Revolution” have been largely replaced by “Fourth Industrial Revolution” and “Artificial Intelligence”, but the key question remain essentially the same: how can data-infused systems and societies be shaped to foster human development and not just improve the insights and means of surveillance of corporations and governments?

If history has taught us anything, it is that technology is not so much neutral as it is a magnifier of human intent and capacity. For it to play a positive transformational role, a large enough critical mass of people and groups needs to be willing and able to leverage it for positive purposes. In our age of widening inequalities, rising dissatisfaction with democratic processes, growing concerns about the implications of digitalization and AI, we want to help “changing the world with data”, first and foremost by making data matter. As this Overview and Outlook 2019-2020 report hopefully conveys we have tried and will strive to do so.