SoBigData.it: Strengthening the Italian RI for Social Mining and Big Data Analytics

The project aims to strengthen the SoBigData research infrastructure (www.sobigdata.eu), coordinated by CNR-ISTI, with the goal of

enhancing interdisciplinary and innovative research on the multiple aspects of social complexity by combining data and model-driven

approach. SoBigData emphasizes the concept of “responsible data science”, considering the ethical values as one of the pillars of reliable

use of big data analytics and artificial intelligence technologies. Consequently, SoBigData RI develops methodologies and approaches to

put into practice the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) and FACT (Fair, Accurate, Confidential, and

Transparent) principles. The strengthening will concern four main aspects of the infrastructure: (i) Technological aspect: strengthening

and creating new computational nodes distributed on the Italian territory with centralized and networking technologies; (ii) Scientific

aspect: strengthening and creating new virtual laboratories (VL) to explore specific aspects of society through data science; (iii) Ethical

Aspect: Promote the new generation of “responsible data scientists” collaborating with the academia and industry (i.e., providing ethical

and legal counseling and facilitating the technology transfer); finally (iv) the creation of DIGIT services for multidisciplinary

communities by exploiting the research produced in the VL and the new computational and technological resources. The RI will tackle

complex social phenomena such as (but not limited to): Social Impact of AI and explainable machine learning, Societal Debates, and

Misinformation Analysis, Disaster response and recovery, Societal and industrial impact of Next-Generation Internet beyond 5G

networks. SoBigData is the result of two H2020 grants (grant n.654024 and 871042) and is part of the ESFRI Roadmap 2021.