Foresight Study “Data in Future Society”

“Data in Future Society” Study

In the digital era, vast volumes of data are produced every day. This happens in the economy, public administration, and people’s daily lives. Consequently, the datafication of society raises the question of how to effectively use data. At the same time, we must create new economic and public value while protecting personal data and trade secrets. Additionally, it is crucial to ensure secure and ethical data use. This foresight study, Data in Future Society, investigates the factors and trends that will likely affect the development of the data society and data economy in the next 10–15 years. Furthermore, it proposes possible future scenarios for Estonian data society and data governance in the year 2035. Based on these scenarios, a set of key policy options has been formulated to inform policymaking in the fields of data economy, data society, and data-driven public governance.

The study of the Institute of Baltic Studies uses a combination of research methods, including:

• Desk study, interviews and online survey to identify key factors and trends.
• Workshops with experts from the public sector, business, academia and civil society to co-create future scenarios.
• Engagement of a panel of experts to complement and validate the findings throughout the study.

The project has been commissioned by the Government Office and Foresight Centre and is led by OÜ Levellab. In addition, the study contributes to the Foresight Centre’s research stream, “The Future of Data Freedom”, which studies the trends and uncertainties affecting the future of data use.