Contact tracing apps could be used to control the COVID-19 outbreak. Most of them work by automatically registering another smartphone when it is close by for a set period of time. If the user then tests positive for COVID-19 in the future, the contact tracing app notifies these contacts. Concerns have been raised about misuse of personal data. Initial data suggests there has been slow uptake of this new technology by users, and it's unclear if contact tracing apps have had or will affect the pandemic. Northern Ireland, Scotland, and now England and Wales have recently launched contact tracing apps.
Documents to download
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Big Data and Business (274 KB, PDF)
Easier access to computing power and new analysis methods are enabling the use of big data by businesses, changing the way they operate and communicate with their customers. This note examines the range of applications of big data by UK companies, highlighting the opportunities offered to a number of sectors. It also considers the challenges that businesses and regulators face when big data analytics are implemented.
Documents to download
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Big Data and Business (274 KB, PDF)
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