What can Estonia, a one-time Soviet state that’s long been one of the world’s most wired nations, teach a world that’s tumbling ever deeper into digitization?

It’s a question that matters in an age of data breaches and artificial intelligence.

The answer may be as fundamental as the ones and zeros of binary code. With careful regulation and full transparency, Estonia has developed a system that protects and respects its citizens’ data ownership. It’s imperfect. But Estonians appear to value its aims. 

Lenora Chu reports today from Tallinn. Hers is our latest story in an ongoing project on rebuilding trust.