This week we begin with an article by MIT Technology Review on how the lack of public access to data related to COVID-19 in the United States has resulted in the failure of the government in prioritizing effective counter measures. The next story talks about the increased spread of disinformation through social media channels like Twitter, by hijacking the accounts of prominent political and business leaders. Following this we highlight a list of 5 effective alternative data points that should be monitored during the pandemic to gauge economic recovery. Next, we cover US Coronavirus data being directly sent to the White House, bypassing the Center for Disease Control (CDC), diminishing the CDC’s role in fighting the pandemic. Then, we have an article that describes the need for data managers and companies to reboot their data, machine learning, and analytics in the wake of the pandemic. To end, we have included a video by The Economist that highlights the growing relevance of data in various sectors like healthcare, politics, and public bodies.
Covid-19 data is a public good. The US government must start treating it like one
Earlier this week as a pandemic raged across the United States, residents were cut off from the only publicly available source of aggregated data on the nation’s intensive care and hospital bed capacity. When the Trump administration stripped the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of control over coronavirus data, it also took that information away from the public.
Twitter hack spotlights disinformation fears as U.S. election looms
The hijacking of several prominent Twitter accounts, including that of presumptive Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Joe Biden, has again raised questions about the company’s ability to combat disinformation on its platform and rekindled concerns about potential election interference with the November U.S. election just four months away.
Five Alternative Data Points to Watch in the Covid-19 Economy
During normal times, traditional economic data work fine, offering reliable insight into growth, employment, prices, and all sorts of other aspects of the U.S. economy. The drawback is that delay of as long as a month or even a quarter make some of the data-limited use during times like these when the pandemic has thrown the entire economy of Kilter.
US coronavirus data will now bypass the CDC and go straight to the White House. Here’s what this means for the world
Led by physicians, scientists, and epidemiologists, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is one of the most reliable sources of knowledge during disease outbreaks. But now, with the world in desperate need of authoritative information, one of the foremost agencies for fighting infectious disease has gone conspicuously silent.
Companies are beginning to reboot their machine learning and analytics, which have been disrupted by the global pandemic
The economic impact of COVID-19 is unprecedented, dramatically changing markets and prospects for economic growth. Supply chains, transportation, food processing, retail, e-commerce, and many other industries have transformed overnight. Unemployment in the U.S. has reached levels unknown in recent memory, and GDP is expected to fall around the world.
The data revolution: privacy, politics and predictive policing
More than 90% of the world’s data appeared in the past two years. From privacy to politics, Facebook to facial recognition – discover the true impact of this data revolution.
Source: https://mailchi.mp/zigram/data-asset-weekly-dispatch_20_july
