@GavinFreeguard
@gavinfreeguard.bsky.social
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Gavin Freeguard is a freelance consultant working on research, policy and advocacy around data, digital government and data visualization. He is an associate at the Institute for Government (where he was previously programme director), special adviser at the Open Data Institute, a member of the Public Digital network and has worked as a consultant for organisations including mySociety, the Ada Lovelace Institute and Full Fact. Before joining IfG, he was political adviser on culture, media and sport to Rt Hon Harriet Harman KC, and before that, senior editor at the Media Standards Trust and deputy director of the Orwell Prize.
Gavin is working with us to influence UK data policy by coordinating activity across civil society.
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Data Policy Digest
SOMETHING STIRS!
Hello, and welcome to our 29th Data Policy Digest, bringing you all - well, some of - the latest data and AI policy developments.
You may remember that we put the Digest on pause while we seek sustainable funding for it. Those efforts are ongoing (and please let us know if you have any feedback). But given just how much has been going on, we thought it was worth putting out a slimmed-down version (no, really, it actually is) to help you catch up on what’s been happening on data and AI policy, in the UK parliament and government, at least.
Hello, and welcome to our 28th Data Policy Digest, bringing you all the latest data and AI policy developments.
And Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, and a relaxing break from all things data and AI (with the exception of Wallace and Gromit’s terrific take on technology).
Some big Data Policy Digest news to kick off your 2025: this will be the last edition in this form with Connected by Data. The Digest, along with our other Data and AI Civil Society Network activity, was funded out of a grant from JRRT, and we were sadly unsuccessful in the latest round of applications. A massive thank you to JRRT for their funding to date; to the whole team at Connected by Data for being brilliant; and of course, to all of you for subscribing and reading.
Hello, and welcome to our 27th Data Policy Digest, bringing you all the latest data and AI policy developments.
The world has changed somewhat since our last edition just over a month ago.
Yes, the Data (Use and Access) Bill has started its parliamentary journey proper.
And there was some big electoral event in the US, global ramifications, end of the world, blah blah blah. More on those stories, and much more, below.
Hello, and welcome to our 26th Data Policy Digest, bringing you all the latest data and AI policy developments.
We’ll forego the usual fun, folksy intro because DEAR GOD this is already too long (for a change, etc). A new Bill, a new advisory panel on the digital centre of government, lots on health data… To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, the only thing worse than there being far too much to talk about would be having nothing to talk about (he says, weeping into his computer keyboard).
Hello, and welcome to our 25th Data Policy Digest, bringing you all the latest data and AI policy developments.
Ah, autumn. Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness - and unhealthy, underwhelming beige buffet bites and warm white wine. Yes, several of us are heading up to Liverpool for Labour Party conference this weekend - if you are too, check out our spreadsheet of data and AI events, or drop me a line if you’d like to meet up.
Hello, and welcome to our 24th Data Policy Digest, bringing you all the latest data and AI policy developments, with something of a back-to-school feel - though it’s not as if, for those of us following data and AI policy, it feels like there was much of a break at all.
Hello, and welcome to our 23rd Data Policy Digest, bringing you all the latest data and AI policy developments.
There have been a lot. But you knew that already. Because there always is. And will no doubt continue to be. Now, and forevermore. Amen.
Hello, and welcome to our 22nd Data Policy Digest, bringing you all the latest data and AI policy developments.
Our 22nd edition, and first under a Labour government.
neil kinnock voice: a LABOUR government
Hello, and welcome to our 21st Data Policy Digest, bringing you all the latest data and AI policy developments.
I’m sure you don’t need to be reminded, but today is a very special day.
Hello, and welcome to our twentieth Data Policy Digest, bringing you all the latest data and AI policy developments.
Going through the motions, too cautious, little spark, relief that it will soon be over, and little mention of data and tech… enough about England and Scotland at the Euros, the general election is a week today. And civil society tried to inject some data and AI discussion into the campaign with two events this week - more below.
Hello, and welcome to our eighteenth Data Policy Digest, bringing you all the latest data and AI policy developments. 18 whole Digests. 18!
Appropriate number, 18.
It’s when you can legally vote - this is a very election-heavy newsletter.
And it’s when you can legally drink - I could do with several after sifting through FIVE manifestos this week.
(And still 20 days to go! Cheers!)
Hello, and welcome to our sweet sixteenth Data Policy Digest, bringing you all the latest data and AI policy developments. From April showers to a May data deluge - with details of Lords committee stage for the Data Protection Bill, more AI developments than you can shake a large language model at and much more besides.
Hello, and welcome to our fifteenth Data Policy Digest, bringing you all the latest data and AI policy developments.
A short one this time, with very little going on.
Kidding!
(Late) April Fool!
Hello, and welcome to our fourteenth Data Policy Digest, bringing you all the latest data and AI policy developments. The Budget, national insurance cuts, tax cuts, and a possible May election are just some of the topics dominating the political fiscal discourse and doubling as an SEO-friendly introduction to this fortnight’s newsletter, a blockbuster on a par with anything at this weekend’s Oscars and with more political intrigue than Super Tuesday or a day in the life of Christian Horner at Red Bull. If that doesn’t game Google, nothing will.
Hello, and welcome to our thirteenth (lucky for you) Data Policy Digest, bringing you all the latest data and AI policy developments. Of which there continue to be many.
Hello, and welcome to our twelfth Data Policy Digest, bringing you all the latest data and AI policy developments. Rest assured, this is one DPD that won’t use AI to swear at you. (Though may have you swearing at AI.)
Hello, and welcome to our eleventh Data Policy Digest, bringing you all the latest data and AI policy developments.
And Happy New Year! (If it’s not too late to wish you that.) After the data and AI policy carnival of chaos that was 2023, we have a much quieter year to look forward to.
Kidding, obviously. Just the odd controversial bit of data-related legislation, a government response to the AI White Paper, more AI Summits, continued AI development at breakneck speed, the unfolding of the Post Office Horizon scandal, the small matter of a general election being called at some point and goodness knows what else to keep us busy. The Digest will be with you all the way.
Hello, and welcome to our tenth Data Policy Digest, bringing you all the latest data and AI policy developments. I don’t know about you, but after a long (if fun and interesting) year, I feel like I’m stumbling towards the finishing line - though with a steeplechase-sized hurdle, in the form of the Lords debating DPDIB today, now firmly in view.
This will be the last Digest of 2023 - thanks for reading this year, and I hope it’s been useful. My new year’s resolutions are to make it shorter and more frequent. If you want to give a friend the gift of data this Christmas, why not encourage them to subscribe?
Have a wonderful festive season and see you in 2024! (Unless you decide you would like to follow me live-tweeting the DPDIB debate…)
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