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Nora Young
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Speaker

Nora Young

Host of CBC Radio’s Spark | Author of The Virtual Self

Nora Young is an informed and ideal guide for anyone looking to examine—and plan for—the ever-changing high-tech landscape; she helps audiences understand trends in social media, big  data, wearable tech and more, while showing them how to better protect their privacy in our  increasingly digital world. The host and creator of Spark on CBC Radio, and the author of The Virtual Self, she demystifies technology and explains how it is shaping our lives and the larger world in which we live.

Young was the founding host of CBC Radio’s Definitely Not The Opera, where she often  discussed topics related to new media and technology. Her work has appeared online, on television, and in print. Along with Cathi Bond, she has been a hobby podcaster of The Sniffer since 2005. Her favourite technology is her bicycle.

Seeing the Forest and the Trees: Surviving and Thriving in the Coming Data Boom

As individuals, we’re generating more data all the time about our movements, habits, and tastes. You may be doing it now: registering ‘likes’ on Facebook, tracking your runs with a GPS-enabled monitor, logging your spending with a personal finance app. You may not even know you’re doing it, but the simple act of using digital tools, such as e-readers, creates information about how you’re reading.

We’re on the cusp of a Data Boom, a new era in information, fueled by our digital devices. It will offer new personal insights, open opportunities for new services, and change the nature of our cities and communities. The Data Boom has the power to make our personal lives and communities better, but it also carries tremendous privacy risks.

Specific topics Nora can speak to authoritatively include: Big Data, the Internet of Things, Smart Cities, and Wearables and Health.

Drawing on her book, and her experience as host and creator of CBC’s technology show, Spark, Nora explains how this Data Boom will change society, and what it means for individuals, businesses, and communities. Nora’s talk is an ideal and entertaining guide for groups looking to plan strategically for the changing world, or those who want a big-picture look at one of the top trends defining our world in the years ahead.