Data Policy Digest
Bringing you all the latest data and AI policy developments
In a comprehensive regular posting - up to twice a month - data policy maestro Gavin Freeguard pulls together all the news, views and gossip from data and AI policy land, with a UK focus.
Previous editions can be found at the bottom of this page.
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We are grateful to the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust for their funding which contributes to the production of this work.
Recent posts
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…)
Hello, and welcome to our ninth Data Policy Digest, bringing you all the latest data and AI policy developments. We have a wrap up of the AI Summit - and fully endorse this sentiment - but there’s also a lot about to happen, Bills-wise.
If there’s something we’ve missed, something you’re up to that you’d like us to include next time or you have any thoughts on how useful the Digest is or could be, please get in touch via gavin@connectedbydata.org. We’re on Twitter @ConnectedByData and @DataReform. You can also catch up on Digest #1, Digest #2, Digest #3, Digest #4, Digest #5, Digest #6, Digest #7 and Digest #8.
Hello, and welcome to our eighth Data Policy Digest, bringing you all the latest data and AI policy developments.
If there’s something we’ve missed, something you’re up to that you’d like us to include next time or you have any thoughts on how useful the Digest is or could be, please get in touch via gavin@connectedbydata.org. We’re on Twitter @ConnectedByData and @DataReform. You can also catch up on Digest #1, Digest #2, Digest #3, Digest #4, Digest #5, Digest #6 and Digest #7.
Hello, and welcome to our seventh Data Policy Digest, bringing you all the latest data and AI policy developments.
And Happy International Access to Information Day for yesterday! There is a lot of information to access in today’s edition, including a rundown of the various data and AI policy events at party conferences for those of you lucky enough to be going. I’ll be at Conservative, Green and Labour conferences if you want to say hi (assuming I recover from yesterday’s shocking news from Google).
If there’s something we’ve missed, something you’re up to that you’d like us to include next time or you have any thoughts on how useful the Digest is or could be, please get in touch via gavin@connectedbydata.org. We’re on Twitter @ConnectedByData and @DataReform. You can also catch up on Digest #1, Digest #2, Digest #3, Digest #4, Digest #5 and Digest #6, or sign up to the Digest and/or Connected by Data’s monthly newsletter via email.
Hello! Or rather, tere!
Our sixth Data Policy Digest, bringing you all the latest data and AI policy developments, comes to you from this year’s Open Government Summit in Tallinn, where Tim, Helena and I are flying the flag for Connected by Data. We ran a workshop yesterday; give us a shout if you happen to be here in Estonia.
If not, there’s plenty to catch up on back in the UK, as parliament returns after its summer break.
If there’s something we’ve missed, something you’re up to that you’d like us to include next time or you have any thoughts on how useful the Digest is or could be, please get in touch via gavin@connectedbydata.org. We’re on Twitter @ConnectedByData and @DataReform. You can also catch up on Digest #1, Digest #2, Digest #3, Digest #4 and Digest #5.
Hello, and welcome to our fifth Data Policy Digest, bringing you all the latest data and AI policy developments. We’ll be taking a short break while parliamentarians are enjoying their recess (we, like them, will be back in September), but there are a few updates based on things rushed out before the break.
If there’s something we’ve missed, something you’re up to that you’d like us to include next time or you have any thoughts on how useful the Digest is or could be, please get in touch via gavin@connectedbydata.org. We’re on Twitter @ConnectedByData and @DataReform. You can also catch up on Digest #1, Digest #2, Digest #3 and Digest #4.
Welcome to the fourth edition of Connected By Data’s Data Policy Digest, your one stop shop for all things data and AI policy. You’ll be pleased to know it’s shorter than our previous epic - but there’s still been plenty going on.
If there’s something we’ve missed, something you’re up to that you’d like us to include next time or you have any thoughts on how useful the Digest is or could be, please get in touch via jonathan@connectedbydata.org. We’re on We’re on Twitter @ConnectedByData and @DataReform. You can also catch up on Digest #1, Digest #2 and Digest #3.
Hello, and welcome to the third Data Policy Digest from Connected by Data! The Digest aims to bring you all the main developments in data and digital policy, including the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, the AI White Paper and beyond. (Often way beyond.) It’s been more than six weeks since the last edition (I’ve been away). Good job it’s been a quiet month or so in data policy…
If there’s something we’ve missed, something you’re up to that you’d like us to include next time or you have any thoughts on how useful the Digest is or could be, please get in touch via jonathan@connectedbydata.org. We’re on Twitter @ConnectedByData and @DataReform. You can also catch up on Digest #1 and Digest #2.
Hello, and welcome to Connected by Data’s second Data Policy Digest!
This is our attempt to keep track of the many things currently going on in data policy world. If there’s something we’ve missed, something you’re up to that you’d like us to include next time or you have any thoughts on how useful the Digest is or could be, please get in touch via jonathan@connectedbydata.org. We’re on Twitter @ConnectedByData and @DataReform, and Digest #1 is here.
Hello, and welcome to the first Data Policy Digest from Connected by Data!
With such a lot going on in data policy world at the moment – including the return of the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill to parliament, the parliamentary progress of the Online Safety Bill, the expected Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill, the AI White Paper and a select committee inquiry into AI Governance – we thought it was the perfect time to start a regular summary of everything going on.
If we’ve missed anything, you’d like to add something for next time, you have a view on whether this is useful or not, or you’d like to get more involved with our activities (especially around the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill), please get in touch on jonathan@connectedbydata.org