This appeared last week:
IXUP, homomorphic encryption and the future of data sharing
Justin Hendry
Editor
The arrival of the Consumer Data Right in 2019 and the passage of legislation that opens a “new path” for public sector data-sharing, more recently, has only accelerated this process in the name of convenience and research.
That’s where secure data software company IXUP, which hoovered up the assets of the collapsed data-sharing startup Data Republic for $3 million last year, comes in.
The ASX-listed Australian scaleup (pronounced ‘eyes up’) has collaborated with Microsoft to produce homomorphic encryption technology aimed at maintaining data confidentiality.
In practice, the technology allows organisations to share encrypted data and generate insights without having to decrypt the original dataset, enhancing the privacy of those whose details are contained in the dataset.
Internationally recognised guardrails like the Five Safes framework are also embedded in the platform to help data scientists manage the sensitive data.
At the launch of the company’s Sydney office on Friday in the repurposed former torpedo factory and submarine base known as Sub Base Platypus chief operating officer Elizabeth Whitelock said IXUP aimed to make sure “personal information is never breached”.
“Our innovative software was founded here in Sydney and our core team of developers are still here,” she said. “We are Australian. We are currently small, but we have grand plans to make a difference globally.”
Non-executive chairman Julian Babarczy said the company’s privacy enhancing technology (PET) is a “powerful new enabler for consumer data rights, business integrity, compliance and data-drive social impact”
“Privacy enhancing technology (PET) has multiple benefits. It protects the data of individuals, it assists companies to comply with privacy legislation and also delivers on the social contract that companies, government and citizens have to one another – and that’s to keep our data private and secure,” he said.
New South Wales Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Victor Dominello, who attended the launch, said IXUP’s work was critical, and increasingly important for government.
“What you’re doing with PETs and what you’re doing with cyber makes a profound difference,” Dominello said.
“For example, we’re about to roll out NSW ID, a fully biometric to level three [digital identity]. That’s where we’re going to be, but that’s just the beginning of the journey,” he said.
“We need fully homomorphic encryption to put into the health app, so that when we get data – through an API feed – from the My Health Record, we get data portability.”
More here:
https://www.innovationaus.com/ixup-homomorphic-encryption-and-the-future-of-data-sharing/
We also have this from the next day:
Living standards at risk without big data and artificial intelligence
By Shane Wright
August 23, 2022 — 10.30pm
Australian living standards could slip behind those of other countries if the government and businesses fail to use and analyse data or take advantage of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Productivity Commission has warned.
As part of its broader examination of ways to lift the nation’s economic speed limit, the commission on Wednesday will release new research that suggests the internet of things, robotic automation and big data analysis could revolutionise the country and boost the living standards of everyday Australians.
The agency, renowned for its advocacy of classic economic solutions, also says governments may have to invest more heavily in rural and regional areas to ensure they are not left in technological wastelands.
Productivity growth in Australia and globally has slowed since before the global financial crisis, contributing to downward pressure on real wages growth. The commission has already estimated Australians are working longer than comparable countries to maintain living standards because of the slowdown in productivity.
As part of a broad examination of issues across the economy, the commission has released a discussion paper about data and technology, which it believes could offer a step-up in productivity for Australia.
While most Australians have good access to broadband services, the speed of those services are relatively slow. A speed test at the end of January this year found the median fixed broadband download speed was ranked 61st in the world. The median mobile internet download speed was 18th.
Commissioner Stephen King said it was clear local businesses and individuals did well on “basic” technology like internet access, but were falling behind when it came to more advanced areas such as analytics and AI that offered substantial productivity gains.
”Digital technology and data have already transformed our economy and society, but we have not yet tapped into their full potential.
“Technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotic automation and big data analytics could revolutionise how businesses operate and help lift Australia’s productivity growth by reducing costs, improving the quality of goods and services, and increasing product choice for consumers,” he said.
The commission said while Australian businesses were using some types of technology and data, broader adoption could be held back by inadequate internet connection, a lack of skills, low awareness or uncertainty about benefits, security concerns and the cost of new technology.
Some of those issues, such as the cost of putting in place new technology, would fall over time, but there were ongoing problems including the nation’s digital infrastructure, especially in rural and regional areas. It noted federal government investment in regional areas often “lacks transparency and accountability”.
The commission found much of the data generated by government-funded services was not currently shared, arguing there could be large benefits if it was more easily accessible.
It said governments could require certain health data to be shared as a condition of official funding, noting that better and more accurate health information could contribute to better decision-making.
The My Health Record system, started by the Gillard government and expanded by the Morrison government, could be the starting point for increased data sharing.
More here:
There are a few take-outs from these two articles which are pretty non-controversial.
The first is clearly safe and secure data sharing is a worthwhile thing to be doing and that improved technologies that enhance these attributes are a good thing.
The second is that enablement of data sharing is a key to maximising the value we can get from the data, be it commercial or clinical data.
The third is the belief that effective sharing of clinical data can enhance the quality of care which seems to be pretty non-controversial these days.
But to me this is where both authors go way off the rails suggesting that the My Health Record might be a good stating point.
This really reminds me of the famous commentary suggesting if you want to get there (quality data sharing) I would not start from here (the MyHR)!
Why do people keep hoping that we will stumble on a use for this pile of junk when is is pretty clear thee is actually no purpose for which is fit! Much better to design our data sharing approaches on new and proven technologies in ways we are pretty sure will actually add value and work!
Let’s just write the MYHR investment off and start again with a clean sheet and some properly conceived solutions!
David.
No comments:
Post a Comment