Assessing Big Data (ABIDA)

Between 2015 and 2019, the research group “Politics of Digitalization” was involved in the research project “Assessing Big Data” (ABIDA), funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The consortium project with five partners used a multidisciplinary perspective to examine the social conditions and consequences with regard to the generation, linking and evaluation of large amounts of data. The WZB group was in charge of developing a political science approach to “Big Data.” Drawing on social constructivist approaches such as structuration theory and institutional theory, we conceptualized “Big Data” as both a “resource of regulation” and a “subject of regulation.” In a second step, we built on this conceptual approach to conduct empirical research in two fields. First, we examined how “Big Data” can be used as a resource for political regulation with a focus on political responsiveness. In addition, referring to “Big Data” as a subject of regulation, we compared data protection policies to analyze the instruments that help prevent or compensate for infringements of fundamental rights associated with “Big Data.” Second, the project identified the institutional contexts and structural conditions under which the use of “Big Data” may conflict with anti-discrimination standards.

Contact: Dr. Lena Ulbricht

Resources:

Ulbricht, Lena/Haunss, Sebastian/Hofmann, Jeanette/Klinger, Ulrike/Passoth, Jan-Hendrik/Pentzold, Christian/Schneider, Ingrid/Straßheim, Holger/Voß, Jan-Peter (2018): "Dimensionen von Big Data. Eine politikwissenschaftliche Systematisierung". In: Barbara Kolany-Raiser/Reinhard Heil/Carsten Orwat/Thomas Hoeren (Eds.): Big Data und Gesellschaft. Technikzukünfte, Wissenschaft und Gesellschaft. Wiesbaden: Springer VS, S. 151-231.

Grafenstein, Max von/Hölzel, Julian/Irgmaier, Florian/Pohle, Jörg (2018): Nudging. Regulierung durch Big Data und Verhaltenswissenschaften. ABIDA Gutachten 01|S15016A-F. Berlin: Alexander von Humboldt Institut für Internet und Gesellschaft, 146 S.

Kappler, Karolin; Schrape, Felix; Ulbricht, Lena; Weyer, Johannes (2017): Societal implications of big data. In: KI - Künstliche Intelligenz, Special Issue „Big Data“, Ed.: Ullrich Meyer and Kristian Kersting https://doi.org/10.1007/s13218-017-0520-x

Ulbricht, Lena (2017): "Machtkämpfe um Big Data. Bürger und Verbraucher müssen geschützt werden". In: WZB-Mitteilungen, H. 155, S. 18-21.

Ulbricht, Lena (2017): "Big Data und Diskriminierung. Impulse aus den USA für eine deutsche Debatte". In: ads aktuell - Newsletter der Antidiskriminierungsstelle des Bundes, H. 1, S. 4.

Ulbricht, Lena/Grafenstein, Max von (2016): "Big Data through the Power Lens. Marker for Regulating Innovation - Editorial". In: Internet Policy Review - Journal on Internet Regulation, Vol. 5, No. 1, Thematic Edition "Big Data. Big Power Shifts?", edited by Lena Ulbricht/Max con Grafenstein. Berlin: Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, S. 1-8.

Ulbricht, Lena/Grafenstein, Max von (Eds.) (2016): Big Data. Big Power Shifts?. Internet Policy Review - Journal on Internet Regulation, Vol. 5, No. 1. Berlin: Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society.