The Ethics of Managing People’s Data (2024)

FAQs

What are ethics in data management? ›

Data ethics are the norms of behavior that promote appropriate judgments and accountability when creating or acquiring, managing, sharing, using, and disposing of data.

Ethical data handling involves monitoring and evaluating the outcomes of data-driven initiatives to ensure they align with intended objectives and do not inadvertently cause harm or bias. Organizations must be ready to recalibrate strategies if the results deviate from these ethical standards.

Data ethics is a field of ethics that focuses on the responsible and ethical management of data, especially personal and sensitive information. It encompasses a wide range of considerations, including privacy, security, fairness, and transparency, guiding how data is collected, analyzed, shared, and used.

In its reviews this unit should carefully consider the five Ps of data safety: provenance, purpose, protection, privacy, and preparation.

Fulfilling Ethical Responsibility:

Data contains sensitive information about individuals, and businesses must treat it with respect, transparency, and fairness. Ethical data practices reflect an organisation's commitment to upholding societal values and contributing to a responsible data-driven ecosystem.

Data ethics refers to the moral principles and guidelines that govern the collection, storage and analysis of data. It includes a broad range of issues, including privacy, consent, transparency, fairness, and accountability.

Data ethics covers the ethical and moral obligations of collecting, sharing, and using data, focused on ensuring that data is used fairly, for good.

A real-world example of data ethics in AI and ML can be seen in the use of AI for hiring. Some companies use AI algorithms to screen resumes and predict job performance. However, these algorithms can be biased against certain demographic groups if the training data is skewed.

Data privacy is the branch of data management that deals with handling personal data in compliance with data protection laws, regulations, and general privacy best practices.

Big data ethics, also known simply as data ethics, refers to systemizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong conduct in relation to data, in particular personal data.

What are the risks of unethical data handling practices? ›

Without proper governance, compliance, or privacy measures, there are potential risks and pitfalls associated with using data, such as: Breaches of privacy: Data breaches can expose sensitive or personal information of individuals or groups, leading to identity theft, fraud, or reputational damage.

One of the key ethical dilemmas in data privacy is the balance between individual rights and the interests of businesses. On one hand, individuals expect their data to be handled with care, and they have a right to know how their information is being used.

Data ethics is a branch of ethics that evaluates data practices—collecting, generating, analyzing and disseminating data, both structured and unstructured—that have the potential to adversely impact people and society.

Data ethics is critical in the digital era, encompassing the moral aspects of data generation, collection, and utilization. High-profile instances such as Apple's privacy commitment and IBM's AI ethics policy exemplify positive data ethics practices, ensuring privacy, transparency, and equitable decision-making.