The new physicality of data

Abstract

The mass digitisation of data arguably began in the late 1980s with the mainstream adoption of new low-cost desktop computers in the workplace and visions of a paperless office. The term reflected a focus on the digitisation of existing processes. Such comparisons continued with the arrival of the Internet and worldwide web in the mid-1990s, with visions of e-commerce replacing traditional bricks-and-mortar shops. In the first two decades of the 21st century, we have entered an era where much of the data created is now digital by design and default yet simultaneously integrated with physical objects and real-world interactions. This article explores some of the innovations made possible by this new physicality of data, from the birth of a digital twin to the death of privacy, and the growing urgency for new approaches to data governance and information lifecycle management.