The following is a written adaptation of the opening speech for the 2019 Symposium.
To the Journal’s editorial board, the presenters, commentators, audience, and most importantly, the sponsors, I hope you find inspiration in the Symposium’s presentations.
The articles presented in this issue touch on important aspects of some very difficult problems— problems that grow as they continue to be analyzed, discussed, and debated. Proposed solutions abound, but consensus does not.
Is there even still agreement about what “data” is? Whatever it might be at its core, what is it when combined with other sources of data? What is it when it has been mined and subjected to proprietary algorithms? The developments among experts are mind-numbing— especially to the non-expert. And in the United States (U.S.), governmental policymakers, while intelligent, are likely non-experts. Nevertheless, legislative action is required to ensure greater protection for consumers, certainty for businesses, and security for society.