A report by the MacArthur-supported GovLab explores the premise that data – particularly the vast stories of data held by social media companies – may facilitate intelligence that could help develop solutions to today's challenges. The report asserts that data held by social media companies can help nonprofits, humanitarian organizations, and others better understand demographic trends, public sentiment, and the geographic distribution of various issues and challenges. The report explores case studies in which data extracted from social media have helped to address major social issues like urban congestion and public health crises.
