Data, in today’s world, has the potential to deliver more cutting edge, citizen-centric public services, and bring automation and intelligence to industry while addressing the greatest challenges to human health and environment. With the amounts of data being produced by individuals and society today, the boundaries on research, sustainable development and the economy are being pushed back further and new ways for human and machine activity are being unlocked.

The opportunities brought about by the rapid growth of data are, however, coupled with concern. Questions surrounding the privacy and security of data, how data is generated, labelled and collected and whether or not the data at our disposal can be trusted, all represent crucial issues in the discussion on data governance and societal advancement. The policy, regulatory, legal and ethical aspects are as pertinent to the discussion, adding a deeper dimension to the dialogue.

The second special issue of the ITU Journal calls for original scientific papers that will share insight into the increasing sophistication of the techniques used to exchange and understand data, while also exploring how data can safely fuel more autonomous, human-centric information and communication technologies.