In addition to this, corporations gather and analyze consumer data to gain insights into customer behavior, identify potential markets, and inform investment decisions.
Robert Kirkpatrick, the Director of the United Nations Global Pulse, has argued that this aggregated information is beneficial for the common good and can lead to developments in research and data production in a range of varied fields.
Users can visit the website to compare the amount of flu-related search activity versus the reported numbers of flu outbreaks on a graphical map.
According to Ashley Fowlkes, an epidemiologist in the CDC Influenza division, "The Google Flu Trends system tries to account for that type of media bias by modeling search terms over time to see which ones remain stable.
[8] A study from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), published in the October 12, 2012 issue of Science, discussed how phone data helped curb the spread of malaria in Kenya.
[9] Calling patterns of mobile phone users can determine the socioeconomic standings of the populace, which can be used to deduce "its access to housing, education, healthcare, and basic services such as water and electricity.".
[10] Their research suggests that mobile phone data can provide rapid and accurate estimates of population movements during disasters and outbreaks of infectious disease.
By analyzing specific patterns within this 'big data,' we can enhance responses to disruptive events such as natural disasters, disease outbreaks, and global economic crises.
Data-driven activities can lead to the cumulation of 'big data', which in turn can assist international non-governmental organization in documenting and evaluating the needs of underprivileged populations.
[4] Experts in the private sector emphasize the importance of integrating diverse data sources—such as retail, mobile, and social media data—to develop essential solutions for global challenges.
Robert Kirkpatrick argues that, although sharing private information carries inherent risks, it ultimately yields public benefits, supporting the common good.
Corporations accumulate information on customer preferences through the digital services they utilize and products they purchase to gain clear insights on their clientele and future market opportunities.
This data is available to a limited number of researchers with sole access to restricted resources who are authorized to utilize this information, like social media streams, enabling them to produce more knowledge and develop new studies.
Data philanthropy aids the human rights movement by assisting in dispersing evidence for truth commissions and war crimes tribunals.