Data Deep Dive

A slide that explains two kinds of data actisim. It reads: data activism is an umbrella term for many types of civilian-led actions that involve the act of data collection. The first, reactive data activism: citizens resist having their data collected. This can be against government or corporate surveillance that pose threats to civil and human rights through technology or hardware hacks. The second, proactive data activism: citizens can also collect counterdata to advocate and campaign for causes or fill knowledge gaps left by public institutions.

Data Deep Dive episodes were written and designed about topics spanning data ethics, visual grammar, statistical literacy, and more. They were meant to be short, educational bites, teaching the general public to look at data more critically. In addition to design and illustration, I researched and wrote the data activism episode with my co-worker Bianchi Dy.

This slide shows the example of proactive data acticism in the Myanmar Spring Revolution. For the people of Myanmar, getting information to each other and the outside world is a powerful form of resistance to the junta's disinformation campaigns. Programmes are set up to train fellow citizens in filmmaking and videography, helping them to document and broadcast the junta's acts of violence to a global audience, while providing vital real-time updates on potential dangers and opportunities to protestors. A quote from a programme trainee by the pseudonym Aye that reads 'Access to information is very, very important because it can save our lives' is laid over an image of a protest in Myanmar with citizens holding up their phones to record the event.

A slide that explains counter forex maps, showing how maps are not politically neutral but can be tools of discrimination as well.

An introductory slide for the Data Deep Dive episode Data Ethics: Critical cartography, Counter maps and resistance, with small spot illustrations from the episode.

A sticker sheet in orange, pink and green, of minimalist illustrations paired with data-related puns and lines such as 'You're a legend' and 'Stories beyond stats' and 'close the gap'.

I also created a sticker sheet based on the series as merchandise for Kontinentalist's subscribers. I wanted the stickers to revolve around data-themed puns, evoking curiosity about a subject usually seen as dry and stuffy.

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Studio

Kontinentalist

Writers

Sarah Shamim, Bianchi Dy

Data Design Illustration Research Writing