In the digital age, data has the potential to both empower and endanger democracy. In this fireside chat, we dive deep into the intricate relationship between data, democracy, and trust at the grassroots. All politics roots itself in local communities. We explore the implications of AI-generated content and a world clouded by algorithm-driven narratives where individuals are often left doubting the authenticity of what they consume, leading to disillusionment and disbelief.

Yet for a thriving democracy, the cornerstone is trust: among individuals, within communities, and with larger institutions. We explore data pollution, the widening data divide and solutions to restore trust and reinforce democratic values. Join us for this session for a deep dive after our initial panel at SXSW.

Seer Data is pioneering the community data sovereignty movement in Australia by empowering local communities to access restricted government and business data to identify local issues and address their own social inequality challenges at the grassroots. The tech start-up is working with hundreds of local communities right across Australia, assisting them to unlock the power and benefits of Government, business and community data assets that offer a deeper sense of democracy.

What is Spark Festival?

Spark Festival has a mandate to coordinate and promote startup-focused events that spark engagement into and across the startup ecosystem.

This event is open to all Spark Festival attendees.

Spark Festival 2023 has been made possible by support from the Australian Computer Society, Department of Industry, Science and Resources, William Buck and Atlassian, and continues its mission to drive engagement into and across the NSW startup ecosystem.

More about Spark Festival 2023