**Empowering Communities and Safeguarding Privacy: Today's Data Innovations**

Published: 2024-08-12

Today’s Open Data Digest: Empowering Communities, Ensuring Privacy, and Shaping the Future

Welcome to today’s Open Data Digest! Here, we talk about the latest news in open data, transparency, and public access. Our goal is to show you how open data is changing our communities and building a better future.

The state Department of Community Affairs (DCA) has launched a new and improved Data Hub. This platform makes it easy to access public information. It includes data on local government licenses, disaster recovery, and more. Users can search by categories and find data from various state agencies. DCA Commissioner Jacquelyn Suarez says that using data helps make better decisions and solve policy problems. The Data Hub aims to make DCA’s data more visible and useful for everyone. The DCA also gave $1.49 million in Main Street New Jersey Transformation Grants to improve the central business districts of towns, helping community development and economic growth.

Researchers have found ways to identify people who donated DNA for research, even if they did it anonymously. They did this by comparing genetic data with public information. This discovery raises big privacy concerns. It shows that data anonymization has limits and that personal privacy can be at risk. The study suggests that we need to rethink privacy measures in research to protect people’s identities while still encouraging medical breakthroughs.

International Youth Day 2024 will focus on ‘Digitalisation and Sustainable Development.’ This theme highlights the important role young people play in achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) using digital tools. Despite many challenges, young people are leading global digital trends. Digital connectivity is key for SDG progress. The European Union’s Youth Action Plan aims to empower young people with skills and funding opportunities. By using open data, young people can make informed decisions and contribute to sustainable development. Stay updated on this by following updates on X/Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, or by subscribing to the newsletter.

Cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab has revealed how users are tricking AI systems by using special phrases on websites and resumes. These phrases, called “injections,” can make neural networks give desired responses, like improving job applicants' resumes or product reviews. While these actions are not harmful right now, there is a need to look at potential cyber risks and find ways to protect AI systems from future attacks. Kaspersky Lab stresses the importance of understanding and reducing these risks to guard against new threats in the AI world.

Today’s stories show the connection between open data, privacy, and technology. From improving public access to information with the DCA’s Data Hub to tackling privacy concerns in genetic research, and empowering youth with digital tools, open data plays a key role in shaping a better world. As we deal with AI manipulation and cybersecurity, it is clear that transparency, access, and responsible data sharing are crucial for a safer and more informed society.

Stay tuned for more updates and insights in our next edition of the Open Data Digest. Together, we can ensure a brighter future for our children and generations to come.

https://njbiz.com/nj-dca-launches-new-and-improved-data-tool/

Related news on 2024-08-12