[CODATA-international] Issues to tackle (a selection) Re: Digital Feudalism

Falk Huettmann fhuettmann at alaska.edu
Sun Oct 13 15:19:52 EDT 2019


...very true Kassim,
(I indirectly mentioned it in the UNEP bullet point though),

everybody who can do math on a finite planet, and who knows UN + NGOs and
some reality will
agree that the SDGs are not only utter non-sense but also
outright dangerous. It's disastrous global leadership, still centered on a
so-called sustainable growth model.
It just makes a few rich people richer; 'thanks' here also to Achim Steiner
and his 'team'.

The UN has missed virtually all its relevant goals for the last 30 years
(banking included),
and keeps doing so, and fooling us on that matter with just 'another plan'
for the far future to work towards.

Sounds just like Winston Churchill ("If in hell, keep going"; also used by
CEOs now. See how well it works)

Instead I propose reading and considering works like this one re UN reform
and 'issues', specifically African, global finance, governance and Suisse
ones
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Ziegler
The issue to address here and to add to the list are human rights,
including the global right to access a 10$ laptop device (as a thought)

Glad you can spend some time on those crucial matters; advise as you
require please.
Sorry for taking up your time and email space here. Happy to send you some
of writings/studies on the issue.

Arguably, our Ivy League academics and institutions are not so good at
those things, certainly not MIT, Standord or Yale,
or FAO for that matter. Sadly, I also lack progress from China on relevant
online open access and metadata issues and leadership and eve participation.

Very best & thanks again
         Falk  Huettmann PhD, Professor
           Uni of Alaska Fairbanks

PS One of the founding goals of The World Bank in 1950s, and still its
mission after 70 years: eradicate poverty!?
https://www.worldbank.org/en/about


On Sun, Oct 13, 2019 at 10:28 AM Mwitondi, Kassim <K.Mwitondi at shu.ac.uk>
wrote:

> Here is one more item to add to your list, Prof Huettmann. The 17 SDGs are
> strongly interconnected nodes of Big Data. We will never succeed in
> addressing them in isolation, and we can't track what we cannot measure.
> Co-ordinated interdisciplinary approaches are vital. See
> https://www.mdpi.com/journal/data/special_issues/Sus_Development
>
> KSM
>
> Dr Kassim S. Mwitondi
> Sheffield Hallam University
> Faculty of Science, Technology and Arts
> Communication & Computing Research Centre
> 9410 Cantor Building, City Campus
> 153 Arundel Street
> Sheffield, S1 2NU
> United Kingdom
> Tel. +44-114-2256914 (Direct)
> Tel. +44-114-2255555 (General)
> https://www.shu.ac.uk/about-us/our-people/staff-profiles/kassim-mwitondi
> ________________________________
> From: Falk Huettmann <fhuettmann at alaska.edu>
> Sent: 13 October 2019 18:43:37
> To: BOULTON Geoffrey <Geoff.Boulton at ed.ac.uk>
> Cc: Mwitondi, Kassim <K.Mwitondi at shu.ac.uk>; CODATA International <
> codata-international at lists.codata.org>
> Subject: Issues to tackle (a selection) Re: [CODATA-international] Digital
> Feudalism
>
> Dear Kind Colleagues,
> thanks indeed for those great communications and reads; they are important
> and pretty new for this list and group; WELL DONE.
> I am very impressed to see that, finally.
>
> However,
> considering ICSU & UN listens here,
> for real progress,
> you must tackle some relevant points:
>
> -define and take a position, e.g. that global equality matters
>
> -accept that data and computing uses finite resources, e.g. every email
> has an energy and water footprint
>
> -work towards a sustainable business model, and governance model
> (arguably, ~all royal democracies are based
>  on hard core old-fashioned resource extraction, namely oil & mining)
>
> -accept that most of the EU and much of 'the West' still run apparent and
> appalling  neocolonial schemes,
>  and thus ask for a change/improvement
>
> -understand that neither EU nor Africa, habor a Silicon Valley, and thus,
> can hardly compete with
>  technical innovation of hard- and software in real terms
>
> -understand that 'digital data means food'; those are not disconnected or
> de-coupled and can't be
>
> -accordingly climate change remains the biggest topic to tackle, and data
> issues are simply to serve/cater those things
>
> -education and teaching on those things: how done ?
>
> -UNEP -based in Nairobi - are to be on-board but require a hefty change of
> direction and lead
>
> -China plays a big role in Open Access either way and is to be addressed
>
> -cyberwarfare: how addressed ?
>
> -banks, specifically the ones in Switzerland, London, Qatar, NY etc play a
> major role (see Basel Accords https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basel_Accords
>  for lack of computing/data & transparency issues) and of course: The
> World Bank
>
> -for an organization like CODATA, their conference footprints are vast so
> why not having it online and live-streaming
>  to minimize the carbon footprint ?
>
> -transportation and logistics: how dealt with (a big data and computation
> schema) ?
>
> -relevance of the nation-state when the WWW takes over globally ?
>
>
> Just a few ideas for a start on the topic; thanks.
> If somebody really wants to understand many aspects of open data and
> computing, I propose you start with perspectives from Bukina Faso, or Papua
> New Guinea.
> Considering that most people on earth earn less than 4$ a day, it's the
> reality view to take.
>
> I found a good start in the RIO convention and its founders, and with the
> Antarctic Treaty and the last International Polar Year, but that progress
> has apparently stalled.
> Other treatise and good reflections exist, but are hardly found at our
> academic institutions, in informatics, and have certainly not hit
> Microsoft, Google, Apple or Facebook, IBM etc.
>  (most of them are known to deny and counter climate change btw). Such
> concepts are not awarded at all, but really should.
>
> That's my view.
>
> Please keep me posted for good progress; this topic really matters.
>    Falk Huettmann PhD, Professor
>       Uni of Alaska Fairbanks
>
>
> On Sat, Oct 12, 2019 at 12:06 AM BOULTON Geoffrey <Geoff.Boulton at ed.ac.uk
> <mailto:Geoff.Boulton at ed.ac.uk>> wrote:
> Dear Correspondents
>
> What has been described in the various letters is a process that has
> become clearer over the years, and which is now well documented. Together
> with several colleagues (Kenya, Botswana, Senegal) I have been doing some
> work for the African Science Granting Councils (19 African States) that
> analyses advantages and disadvantages for Africa of federated open science
> practices, together with the policies required to deliver them to best
> effect. The issues you have all described are being addressed, such that we
> hope the Granting Councils will address them, together with International
> Partners. It would be very helpful if we were able to call on your
> experiences as evidence. Would any of you be prepared to write a paragraph
> or two about particular instances that highlight key problems?
>
> All good wishes
>
> Geoffrey Boulton
> CODATA Past President
>
>
> Geoffrey Boulton OBE FRS FRSE
> Regius Professor of Geology Emeritus
> University of Edinburgh
> Grant Institute, Kings Buildings
> Edinburgh EH9 3JW
> 44 (0)131 667 2531
> Mob: 44 (0)7590978510
> Website: www.geos.ed.ac.uk/homes/gboulton<
> http://www.geos.ed.ac.uk/homes/gboulton>
>
>
> On 12 Oct 2019, at 00:46, Mwitondi, Kassim <K.Mwitondi at shu.ac.uk<mailto:
> K.Mwitondi at shu.ac.uk>> wrote:
>
> This is an instance of a biased data ownership. A few years ago I was
> working with a young African researcher on an agro-forestry research
> project. No sooner had we started than I realused that her centre had only
> some descriptive statistics but no direct access to the biomass data which
> she and her colleagues had spent months collecting from two islands! The
> vast chunk of the data had left with the development partners at the end of
> the project. It turned out, nobody at the centre had any knowledge or
> pressing interest to pursue the data and there was already new initiatives
> to run another project, which in my view was almost a duplicate of the
> first, but this time with a different development partner.
>
> To cut the long story short, I have come across several cases of data
> ownership of this nature and my view is that it doesn't help much coining
> terminologies, as the best that can be achieved is a blame culture. Would I
> call that data capitalism? Colonialism? Feudalism? I never would! I have
> learnt, over the years, that proper problem identification is a major
> stride in working out the solution. Blaming it on one part marginalizing
> the other when it comes to data generation, access and ownership is
> stripping everyone on the project of a fundamental responsibility in
> managing the project.
>
> Apparently, the problem starts with the project write-up. If the project
> recipient is fully engaged from project initiation to delivery, they surely
> should know how to access the data, as that is a key project deliverable.
> My personal experience is that there are a several factors that lead to
> this kind of situation. One, many project ideas are top-down, that is, they
> are not developed within the working conditions of the recipients. Two,
> there are often many gaps in engagement, mainly caused by near disparate
> motives on many projects, with the funders, experts and recipients not
> necessarily having the same perception, motives or knowledge. Put the two
> together and add the determined project timeline, you have a near disaster.
> But the tripartite interests to run projects continues and we are creating
> a vicious cycle. What is the solution? It must start from the recipients
> who must align each incoming project with their respective development
> strategies. They must present themselves as equal partners in defining the
> project problem and tracking and measuring its outcomes. They should be
> able to quantifiable identify what worked and what didn't and any there
> should be national institutions charged with such responsibility. I could
> be writing all night, I would rather stop here for now.
>
> Thanks.
>
> KSM
>
> Dr Kassim S. Mwitondi
> Sheffield Hallam University
> Faculty of Science, Technology and Arts
> Communication & Computing Research Centre
> 9410 Cantor Building, City Campus
> 153 Arundel Street
> Sheffield, S1 2NU
> United Kingdom
> Tel. +44-114-2256914 (Direct)
> Tel. +44-114-2255555 (General)
> https://www.shu.ac.uk/about-us/our-people/staff-profiles/kassim-mwitondi
> ________________________________
> From: CODATA-international <codata-international-bounces at lists.codata.org
> <mailto:codata-international-bounces at lists.codata.org>> on behalf of
> Trimpact - Niek <niek at trimpact.nl<mailto:niek at trimpact.nl>>
> Sent: 11 October 2019 18:12:22
> To: 'Ernie Boyko' <boykern at yahoo.com<mailto:boykern at yahoo.com>>; 'CODATA
> International' <codata-international at lists.codata.org<mailto:
> codata-international at lists.codata.org>>; 'Suchith Anand' <
> Suchith.Anand at nottingham.ac.uk<mailto:Suchith.Anand at nottingham.ac.uk>>
> Subject: Re: [CODATA-international] Digital Feudalism
>
> Dear all,
>
> This is indeed a huge problem. I also recently learned that information
> data from NGOs are best perhaps shared with some ministries in Bamako,
> Mali, but not within a region where the work is being done. This implies
> that local decision makers remain dependant on the information/data stream
> back from the ministries which may take some months, if ever. This can
> never be the purpose of the work executed.
>
> Since most of the projects are financed with public funding for the
> benefit of de people in the given (development) country and
> data/information belong in fact to the real funds provider of the work
> (i.e. tax payers), claims of intellectual property rights that data belong
> to the project executors seem not applicable. Consequently, data and other
> information (e.g. lessons learned) should be shared at large to the
> population and other relevant stakeholders to avoid duplication of efforts.
>
> A discussion worthwhile to be continued.
>
> Kind regards,
>
> Dr. Niek van Duivenbooden
>
> <image001.png>  Bringing value to life
>
> Mezenlaan 138  -  6951 HR Dieren  -  The Netherlands – T +31 61 13 81 061
> KvK: 64218422   - niek at trimpact.nl<mailto:niek at trimpact.nl> -
> www.Trimpact.nl<http://www.trimpact.nl/>
>
>
>
>
> Van: CODATA-international <codata-international-bounces at lists.codata.org
> <mailto:codata-international-bounces at lists.codata.org>> Namens Ernie Boyko
> Verzonden: vrijdag 11 oktober 2019 15:26
> Aan: CODATA International <codata-international at lists.codata.org<mailto:
> codata-international at lists.codata.org>>; Suchith Anand <
> Suchith.Anand at nottingham.ac.uk<mailto:Suchith.Anand at nottingham.ac.uk>>
> Onderwerp: Re: [CODATA-international] Digital Feudalism
>
> Thank you Suchith,
> I have not heard that term before but I did run into   related term this
> week at the DDI-CODATA workshop here in Dagstuhl.  The term is Data
> Colonialism.  This often happens when a foreign entity (e.g., a development
> agency/project).e data are collected in a developing country and are taken
> out of the country.  They will leave behind some summary tables but will
> take the rich data and metadata away.  This makes it difficult to develop
> the data analysis and management skills within the country.
>
> Thanks for the message.
>
> Cheers, Ernie
> +1-613-290-2804
> Larrimac:  More than a golf course!
> CODATA: Making data work together to improve science to support decision
> makers.
>
>
>
>
>
> On Friday, October 11, 2019, 08:51:29 AM EDT, Suchith Anand <
> Suchith.Anand at nottingham.ac.uk<mailto:Suchith.Anand at nottingham.ac.uk>>
> wrote:
>
>
>
> I came across a recent op-ed by Prof. Mariana Mazzucato on “Digital
> Feudalism”  at
>
>
> https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/platform-economy-digital-feudalism-by-mariana-mazzucato-2019-10?utm_source=Project+Syndicate+Newsletter&utm_campaign=d192f2bc47-sunday_newsletter_6_10_2019&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_73bad5b7d8-d192f2bc47-105013549&mc_cid=d192f2bc47&mc_eid=a8cee90b20
>
> Prof. Mazzucato is a leading researcher and thinker on Technology and
> Innovation, advisor to the European Commission on research and innovation
> strategy, and author of two important books on the subject “The Value of
> Everything” and “The Entrepreneurial State”.
>
> The report on “Mission-oriented Research and Innovation in the European
> Union” might be of interest
> https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/mazzucato_report_2018.pdf
>
> Since the use of cloud platforms for GIS data analysis is having a huge
> impact on the GIS community, the subject is of relevance. I would like
> learn more on this
>
>   1.  Are there any examples of Digital Feudalism in GIS?
>   2.  How will Digital Feudalism in GIS affect our future generations?
>   3.  What policies are governments, regulators doing to reduce Digital
> Feudalism in GIS?
>   4.  What policies and curriculum are universities, educators adopting to
> reduce Digital Feudalism in GIS?
>
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Suchith
>
>
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