Datapoly
Suditi Shah
Datapoly is a redesigned version of the popular board game Monopoly. It aims to make audiences of all age groups experience the incessant data transactions occurring on the internet. We live in a highly connected society. The widespread internet access and enmeshed networks have allowed humans to connect with one another and also communicate with things. This sort of networking require’s one’s smart devices to access their personal and public data, in real time. For example, one’s smart fridge may detect that they are running out of groceries and automatically contact the grocery store to have the food delivered to their house.
Human data is constantly being collected by companies within every industry and this is resulting in a downfall in human communication on a global scale. What is the future of human relationships if such technologies become mainstream? How can one’s data be used for or against them? How does one measure the value of Data?
These questions don’t have straightforward answers and thus Datapoly aims to create a playful experience that triggers one’s thought process in this direction. The game comes with a Play board, Chance and Community Chest cards, Player tokens, Companies as property, Data as currency, and a User Manual. The User Manual provides a deeper insight on how emerging technologies in different settings use personal data. Like most Monopoly games, Datapoly players may end up in a quarrel, however this time its a fight to secure one’s data!