SOAS Research Online

Abstract

Amid today’s digital order, polarised by technological competition and geopolitics, this policy brief[a] identifies three challenges in data governance—rent captors/producers vs. users/consumers of the digital economy, public vs. private sector competition, and divergent views on international data free flow with trust (DFFT). The focus is on the challenges and opportunities in operationalising DFFT in the G20. Material interests are camouflaged as normative divergences, hampering consensus-building in defining shared principles in data governance. Since 2016, the G20 has focused on digital connectivity as a driver for economic prosperity. As such, it is uniquely placed to consider digital transformation, digital inclusion, and DFFT. This brief proposes four recommendations towards creating a G20 Data Space: to clarify the definition of DFFT; to de-dogmatise and be pragmatic; to ensure fair and equitable data access and sharing; and to initiate ‘Create and Reform’ processes towards consolidating a G20 digital agenda.