Understand why the flow of data across borders is essential for the global economy

 

 

BSA Primer|The Software Alliance mapped the main activities that depend on the free flow of information across countries

 
According to a booklet by BSA|The Software Alliance, the flow of data across borders is the transfer or movement of information between servers located in different countries. “Cross-border data flows” states that the software we depend on needs this flow to function fully. It is essential for services that fuel global trade, improve health and safety, promote social well-being and enable technologies of the future. According to a McKinsey report, in 2014 alone, data movement was responsible for US$ 2.8 trillion of global GDP.
 
“Data needs to circulate freely so that, no matter where you are, you have access to the information and services you need,” explains BSA's country manager in Brazil, Antônio Eduardo Mendes da Silva, known as Pitanga. “Everyone, from companies to individuals, depends on data transfer. It leads businesses of all sizes to increase their efficiency and competitiveness and paves the way for a safer and healthier world”, he adds.
 
The BSA primer lists sectors and businesses that directly depend on the flow of data between countries:
 
1. Global Trade
Online businesses need to maintain and transfer personal and business data across borders to track orders and inventory, especially when they rely on third-party vendors to market their products. In addition to retail, businesses that operate globally, such as hotels, automakers and logistics companies, benefit when they use data analytics from every country they operate in to reach more consumers, improve the customer experience and work more efficiently. .
 
2. Cybersecurity
The ability to collect and analyze data from offices in different countries is essential for multinationals to strengthen their cybersecurity, especially when it comes to large service providers such as email. Furthermore, preventing cyber attacks requires not only internal analysis, but also collaboration with external stakeholders. It is worth adding that storing data centrally is less secure than distributing it over several centers. Thus, if a location is compromised, the leak is contained and does not leave the entire system vulnerable.
 
3. Human Resources
Thanks to the flow of data, multinational companies manage offices and plants in different parts of the world, which makes it possible for employees and service providers to work remotely from any location. In this way, companies have an increasingly global talent pool at their disposal.
 
4. Credit Cards
Your bank's computer can analyze your purchase and its location in seconds when you use your credit card, no matter where in the world you are. Based on this analysis, the system can authorize the operation or identify it as fraud and prevent it.
 
5. Health
Transferring patient data across borders allows hospitals to take full advantage of support software. They analyze patients' histories and details of their health plans to help doctors choose more effective treatments, reducing risk. They also create a discussion network for doctors to consult other professionals before making a diagnosis, and there are still others that help predict the behavior of patients, giving space for preventive actions.
 
6. Humanitarian Aid
Aid agencies use mobility patterns to decide where to act after natural disasters, for example. They also assess rates of return to identify areas where reconstruction may not be progressing.
 
The full study is available at the link: https://we.tl/bPvuWCU7wN