Data is the new oil, and there's no doubt about it. Data is now the world's most valuable resource, and companies are investing vast assets to accumulate and maintain their data advantage. From individualized medicine, to self-driving cars, big data has the potential to radically transform our world for the better. However, might there be a cost to recording such large amounts of data? When and how can one consent to having data collected? Do the benefits of data collection outweigh the erosion of individual privacy? These crucial questions will play a leading role in determining the course of humanity's relationship with technology in the 21st century. I am interested in studying these questions from both a technological and political perspective. My initial guiding questions are1. What are the economic impacts of regulating data collection? 2. Is it technologically feasible to collect data while protecting individual privacy? 3. How should lawmakers govern new digital technologies?While these questions may seem divergent, I view them all as particular manifestations of one fundamental question: What does a good data future look like and how do we get there?