Data becoming defining 21st-century resource calls for digital justice dividends

Digital inclusion must go beyond connectivity to protect people's data, rights and ownership. [iStockphoto]

Before leaving home this morning, many of us checked WhatsApp, searched Google, watched YouTube videos, used GPS to navigate traffic, or transferred money through mobile money platforms such as M-Pesa or Zelle.

These technologies have become so integrated into our daily routines that we rarely stop to think about them. They feel convenient, indispensable, and almost invisible. However, this convenience raises an important question: Who owns our digital lives?