Private data, currently a valuable asset for companies like Google and Facebook, could be transformed into a public good. Advocates suggest that individual data should be anonymised and aggregated into ‘data trusts’, accessible to researchers and policymakers. This could provide invaluable insights into societal trends and behaviours, potentially informing and improving public policy.
However, the concept raises significant privacy and security concerns. Critics argue that even anonymised data can be de-anonymised, risking personal privacy. Moreover, the question of who should manage these data trusts is contentious. Some propose that non-profit organisations or governments should oversee them, while others suggest that for-profit companies could be incentivised to manage them responsibly through regulation.
The concept of data trusts is still in its early stages, with pilot projects underway to test its feasibility. If successful, this could democratise data, allowing its benefits to be shared more widely, rather than being concentrated in the hands of a few tech giants.
Go to source article: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/611489/lets-make-private-data-into-a-public-good/