July 6, 2016
When Algorithms Run the Government
The Impact Lab’s Andrew Means calls for transparency in algorithmic decision-making to ensure proper, equitable practice in service of the public good.
Digital Impact was created by the Digital Civil Society Lab at Stanford PACS and was managed until 2024. It is no longer being updated.
November 6, 2015
Better data has the power to save more lives, says Melinda Gates
Our digital world runs on data; from Amazon book recommendations to Netflix movie suggestions, data is vital to companies’ success and longevity. Gates suggests, however, that “in [global] development we still rely primarily on educated guesses,” not data driven solutions. In 2000, the Millennium Development Goals were established with specific targets to be met by […]
October 22, 2015
Helping Cities Ride a Wave of Data to Improve Lives
In cities across America, mayors are eager to make use of ever-growing streams of data to enhance the effectiveness of city services and improve residents’ lives. If you can track why some blighted buildings take so much longer than others to be demolished and rehabbed; if you know that some residents routinely call an […]
June 10, 2015
The Financial Transparency Act of 2015 Has Been Introduced
The farthest-reaching open data legislation since the DATA Act highlights how open data will impact investors, regulators, and the financial industry.
February 27, 2015
First US Chief Data Scientist
The speculation is over! The White House has named DJ Patil its first ever ‘Chief Data Scientist and Deputy Chief Technology Officer for Data Policy.’ Jessi Hempel of Wired explains some of the reasons why Patil was appointed. Hempel believes that “there is arguably no one better suited to help the country better embrace […]
May 20, 2014
Why the DATA Act Matters
The US Digital Accountability and Transparency Act is a bold bid to transform government spending information from disconnected documents into open data.