Why big data has some big problems when it comes to public policy

[Commentary] For all the talk about using big data and data science to solve the world’s problems -- and even all the talk about big data as one of the world’s problems -- it seems like we still have a long way to go.

Most obstacles standing in the way of using data science to solve society’s problems have little to do with the data itself.

It’s easier to gather and easier to analyze than ever before. Rather, the problem is that data scientists and researchers -- even those who really care about tackling important issues -- can often have a difficult time overcoming the much more powerful forces fighting against them: fear, politics and the law.

And although they’re all distinct in some ways, they’re also very closely connected.