What Should Large NGO Organizations Be Doing to Help? What Role Should We Play in This Ecosystem?

From IIW

What Should Large NGOs Be Doing to Help? What Role Should We Play in This Ecosystem?


Thursday 3G

Convener: Susan David Carevic

Notes-taker(s): Susan David Carevic

Tags for the session - technology discussed/ideas considered: Advocacy, NGOs

Discussion notes, key understandings, outstanding questions, observations, and, if appropriate to this discussion: action items, next steps:


The purpose of the session was to hear and discuss with participants how an organization such as the World Bank can support technology development and projects that support sustainable development goals, such as providing people who don’t have an identity with one.


We discussed systemic banking problems: remittances, and underserved populations where there is a lack of banking infrastructure. Gates Foundation set up a POS to provide services in one of these locations and it was a game changer for the community.


Actions that can be taken and would be helpful:

  • Conditional funding: insist that projects utilize standards or principles when procuring systems
  • Being vocal and public about support for technologies – adds legitimacy for technologies and solutions
  • Becoming a steward, member or trustee of initiatives
  • Funding for projects in non-profit sector to put infrastructure in place – Global Public Utilities.
  • Working together with industry standards organizations
  • Help attract more organizations to participate\convening power
  • An Internet of Things council was been newly formed – participation\collaboration with these organizations.
  • World Bank to recognize personal data as an asset: the idea that personal data can be the basis for a living wage. We are all producers of data, we are all data providers and should be rewarded for our data.

Recommendation for NGOs to view solutions to problems through the lens of the following 4 pillars:

  • Tech
  • Economic
  • Legal
  • Moral/Ethical

Call to add one more: Culture\location


Comment made that it would be interesting to try to create a document showing how a technology could evolve and when that might happen – something like a roadmap on the impact of disruptive technology.


The reality of this technology is actually here – however not all pillars are ready – legal\regulation is behind.


NGOs should serve as guardians & keepers of equity. Can’t forget edge cases: can’t exclude and they need to think about unintended consequences.


As we think about economic models: people take on externalities of Equifax: people end up with the risk.


The World Bank has up to date and good data on currencies\indexes. Would be interesting and could really shine some light on problems, if they also published asymmetric data flows – for example on remittances and other types of information. Would be interesting to see where there are unequal exchanges of information – look at information debt the same way we look at currencies.


The conversation morphed...some interesting points made:

  • In 2010 we moved from a causation society to one of correlation
  • AI driven world: informed consent could become illegal. People could receive immediate compensation of costs incurred.
  • GDPR: on docket now in California
  • GDPR will open up more data than close it down.
  • We should learn more about CCN: Content Centric Network: Cisco just bought the patent for this.
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