Summary
This is the first dimension to a larger project and involves utilising policy hackathons to brainstorm, develop, prototype and pitch creative policy solutions that addresses the intersection between law (privacy and data protection, copyright and other intellectual property rights and contract) and data (access, use, reuse and management) in various fields of AI and data science applications (health, culture and languages, climate, etc.) in South Africa. This aspect of the data, law and society in South Africa combination is promoted by a solution-creation process in generating ideas that enhance or indicate best approaches to implementing statutory requirements (e.g., in privacy and data protection laws, copyright law, contract law, etc.) taking into account the interests and contexts of local stakeholders in South Africa as active, passive and/or consuming participants in AI development and governance.
Each year, we will partner with challenge partners to develop, fine tune and properly scope the challenges/topics for the policy hackathon. Participating teams will collaborate and compete to create policy proposals and analytical tools which will be pitched to organisations and government bodies working towards policy reforms to overcome legal, regulatory, administrative policy challenges to and harness opportunities of data access and use in effecting positive societal transformation.
We have now announced the call for applications to participate in the 2024 Policy Hackathon. Find out more and apply here!
UPDATE: We held the 2024 policy hackathon on 31 July 2024 and the report of proceedings is available here.
