Just because data can be made more accessible to broader audiences does not mean that those people are equipped to interpret what they see. Limited topical knowledge, statistical skills, and contextual awareness can prompt people to read inferences into, be afraid of, and otherwise misinterpret the data they are given. As more data is made more available, what other structures and procedures need to be in place to help people interpret what’s available?

This document is a workshop primer from The Social, Cultural & Ethical Dimensions of “Big Data”.