Benefits and risks of Big Data Analytics in fragile and conflict affected states

Big Data is an umbrella term for the large amounts of digital data continually generated by the global population. The main sources are data exhaust (largely from use of mobile phones), online
information (e.g. social media), physical sensors (e.g. satellite imagery) and crowdsourced data (from citizens). Big Data for Development refers to sources of Big Data relevant to policy and programming of development programmes. Such data has the following features: digitally generated, passively produced, automatically collected, geographically or temporally trackable, and continuously analysed. Big Data analytics refers to the process of turning raw data into actionable information. The biggest source of Big Data is data exhaust, much of which is held by the private sector. Donor interest in Big Data for Development has increased hugely in recent years.