It's incredible to witness so many people coming together in support of Rebekah and data ethics in government. Thank you to all who have signed!

Admittedly, it has been a little while since the last update. I'd like to share a little more about why Rebekah's story matters to me, and what led me to start this petition.

I’m a lifelong technologist with a data background. I remember being fascinated by the power of technology at a young age, learning how to write code and build systems. In time, I would become more mindful of the implications it had for our society.

As computing power grew and networks expanded, it became possible to collect, process, and analyze data at an unprecedented scale. The adoption of such powerful technology by massive corporations and government institutions gave rise to new and unprecedented ethical challenges. Data would increasingly determine where people could live, what opportunities were available to them, and even shape their perception of crucial issues. It would influence government policy, and politicians in positions of power would leverage it — or a certain view of it — to justify their own actions.

Rebekah’s story symbolizes how professionals with strong ethical convictions will help us navigate these waters in the coming years, putting themselves on the line to ensure that the rest of us have a clear and transparent view into the data that impacts our lives.

The need for fairness and objectivity in government — far beyond that which we’ve been conditioned to believe is implied by the terms “algorithmic” or “data-driven” — stretches across partisan boundaries. These issues are at the core of our democracy, and they must be handled with the careful respect they deserve.

We must ensure that people like Rebekah feel safe standing up for us when the situation demands it. In the case of COVID-19, human lives are in the balance. In her role as a data analyst, Rebekah recognized this — and she took action.

Now that you've read why Rebekah's story matters to me, I have a quick favor to ask. Our friends at Change.org (kudos to them!) have set up a video submission system that you can use to share why Rebekah's story matters to you.

Whether you choose to share in written or video form, please speak up for data transparency in government. If you're a data scientist, share your own thoughts on data ethics, and let's start a conversation!