Applying the might of Big Data to organization success is a known practice. But given the extent of Big Data’s role in knowing a vast populace inside-out, it is definitely a massive instrument that can be used for public good.

Big Data scientists all over the world are now rethinking the possibilities of Big Data application in making the world a better place to live.

How to address social issues using the diverse range of Big Data information?

This seems to be the current topic of coffee conversation for at least a sizeable portion of humane Big Data Scientists across the world.

Along with social service organizations and as part of their own employer CSR activities, these data scientists are acting as change factors for humanity through Big Data analytics.

The results are here to see. The world is becoming a better, safer and a beautiful place for the future generation to inherit.

These real-world results prove that Big Data is not just any other cost-cutting, operational enhancement exercise adopted by enterprises; instead, a tool with immeasurable potential to uplift humanity from dread.

Read on to know how effective it has been in doing so until now.

Saving millions of lives through earthquake predictions

13,000 lives are expected to be lost annually due to earthquakes.

$12 billion property damage is caused annually due to earthquakes.

The world knows and expects earthquakes to come, but it is not possible to ascertain definitely the time and place where they will strike. That is, until Big Data based predictive analysis became the norm.

The recent success in earthquake prediction using Big Data analytics has thrown to wind the inherent limitations that existed in arriving at predicting natural calamities. It is now possible to detect earthquake propensity above the Richter scale of 6.0 using Big Data analytics.

The works of organizations like Terra Seismic, which analyze satellite data using Big Data analytics manoeuvres have helped predict plausible earthquakes in Chile, Mexico and Indonesia with 90% accuracy.

Thwarting homelessness for susceptible New York families

SumAll,a non-profit organization functioning in New York devised a tool to predict families which might be facing eviction notices and subsequently pushed to shelter living. As said by Stefan Heeke, the tool will alert social workers to take proactive action to help the family possible entry to homeless stage.

The tool will also further facilitate render better services for those who unfortunately became homeless. The data collected includes the regions where evictions notices are issued, their stage of eviction and the general demographic characteristics of the families that usually become homeless.

On other news, $200 million is the estimated amount of research investments that the White House has doled out since 2012. Source: Federal News Radio

Educating Sudan for a peaceful future

Education in third world countries are typically hampered due to geographies, lack of financial resources, political conditions and technological barriers. In countries like Sudan, where the dearth of education has been severe due to raging political wars and economic conditions, Big Data is helping bridge resources to illiterate effectively.

The UNESCO Report on providing education to Independent Sudan suggests several ways of how education in the country can be upgraded using Big Data. Several statistical reports are being merged and read together to bridge the gap between supply of educational facilities and demands. Teachers are being reallocated to geographical areas where illiteracy is rampant and child population is higher. Similarly, educational material received from various parts of the world and from the UNICEF are being distributed based on the data as revealed by Big Data analysis.

Way forward

Big Data is a social tool. Which makes it equally useful for both business intelligence as well as practical uses in doing social good. In the coming years, Big Data will be put to use even to monitor crime rates and possible criminal proceedings. Yes. The days as portrayed in the Tom Cruise starring ‘Minority Report’ are not too far.