1. Director, Internet, Science, and Technology Research
Ethics and Data
Lee Rainie
Director, Internet, Science, and Technology Research
Pew Research Center

2. Why big data are different and need fresh attention from ethics perspectives
Volume (organic)
Velocity (real-time)
Variety (Internet of Things)
Valence (give analysts more insight)
Longitudinal
Location specific
Combinatorial & searchable
“Understood” by algorithms
Variable valuation over time (in ways not fully known at time of collection)

3. How ethics enters the picture Privacy = control of access
Freedom from intrusion—into the body, home, protected space Physical security—protection from bodily harm done by intrusion Dignity—not being subject to contacts regarded as degrading Intimacy—the role of controlling access to the person in creating intimate relationships Autonomy—controlling access to the person is important to the individual’s ability to make central choices about his/her life Identity—protecting access is critical to individual or group identity Equality—ease of access to some but not to others may affect social positions (e.g. equality of women, racial/ethnic minorities)

4. The balance of
forces has shifted in
the networked
age. People are
now “public by
default and
private by effort.”
-- danah boyd

5. Implications for big data
Americans want data-sharing arrangements to be secure
If security is breached, Americans would like disclosure mechanisms to be clear and swift
Americans would like to know if re-identification processes have compromised their identities
They would appreciate a process to gain redress from harms caused by data breaches or re-identification efforts

6. 2. Privacy is not binary / context matters and
many are in transactional frame of mind

7. Implications for big data
Americans are not instinctively opposed to data collection and use. They want to understand the tradeoffs.
This puts some burden on big data analysts to make the case for their work and the benefits that will emerge from it.

8. 3. Personal control / agency matters

9. Implications for big data
Consent is so context specific, it is hard to know for certain how to apply it for non-obvious uses of the data post facto
Would “due process” mechanisms be better suited?
Would “participatory consent” be possible?

10. 4. Many know they do not
know what is going on ….
Those who know the most
are more worried
and wary

11. Implications for big data
People do not like surprises and will likely be unhappy if their data were used in ways they did not anticipate or that seem “out of the blue.”
Is a re-consent process possible?

12. 5. Many are resigned – some are even hopeless –
and their trust is fading

13. Implications for big data
Transparency (including about data transfers)
Consider new, networked trust-building mechanisms
Third party validation
Updated ethics codes
“Hold harmless” mechanisms?
Algorithmic validation / replication

14. (1) Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights
(2) OECD Fair Information Practice Principles
Transparency: easily understandable and accessible information about privacy and security practices
Openness Principle: companies should be open about their practices and policies related to personal data
Individual Control: consumers have a right to exercise control over what personal data companies collect from them and how they use it
Use Limitation Principle: personal data should not be disclosed without consumer consent except when authorized by law
Respect for Context: users have a right to expect that companies will collect, use, and disclose personal data in ways that are consistent with the context in which consumers provide the data
Purpose Specification Principle: companies should specify the reasons why data are collected no later than the time of collection, and the uses of data should be compatible with the stated reason for data collection
Focused Collection: users have a right to reasonable limits on the personal data that companies collect and retain
Collection Limitation Principle: there should be limits on the amount of personal data collected and, where appropriate, the company should receive consumer consent

15. (1) Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights (continued)
(2) OECD Fair Information Practice Principles (continued)
Security: users have right to secure and responsible handling of personal data
Security Safeguards Principle: personal data should be reasonably protected against risks such as loss or unauthorized access, destruction, use, modification, or disclosure of data
Access and Accuracy: user have right to access and correct personal data in usable formats, in a manner that is appropriate to the sensitivity of the data and the risk of adverse consequences to consumers if the data are inaccurate
Individual Participation Principle: consumers should be able to receive confirmation that an entity controls their personal data, and they should be able to access their data within a reasonable time, in a practical manner, and in an intelligible form
Data Quality Principle: personal data should be relevant to the purposes for which they are used, and, to the extent necessary for those purposes, the data should be accurate and kept up-to-date
Accountability: users can expect that their personal data will be handled only by companies with appropriate measures in place to ensure they follow the Consumer Bill of Rights
Accountability Principle: entities that control data should ensure the compliance the other principles

16. New Deal on Data Sandy Pentland
You have the right to possess data about yourself
You have the right to full control over your data
You have the right to dispose of or distribute your data

17. Thank you. Lee Rainie lrainie@pewresearch
Thank you! @pewresearch

18. Sources The State of Privacy in America: What we learned
Privacy and Information Sharing
Americans’ Attitudes About Privacy, Security and Surveillance
Americans’ Privacy Strategies Post-Snowden
Public Perceptions of Privacy and Security in the Post-Snowden Era
The Future of Privacy
Anonymity, Privacy, and Security Online
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