[MyData & Open Data] this group's thoughts on definitions

Thu Dec 19 19:48:02 UTC 2013

Hi all,

On 19 December 2013 08:01, stef <s at ctrlc.hu> wrote:

> On Fri, Dec 13, 2013 at 12:40:14PM +0000, Sam Smith wrote:
> > OKF have created a page for this group here:
> >       http://personal-data.okfn.org
>
> it defines "my data"
>
> > "My Data is information about me personally, where I am identified in
> some way,
> > regardless of who collects it"
>
> - which i believe is a very negative term.
>
> similarly to the dichotomy between free and open software. while "private
> data" is emphasizing the ethical aspects, "my data" is like the consciously
> unethical californian profit-making reinterpretation of that.
>
> please remove this definition and use "private data"
>

I agree with Stef although perhaps not for precisely the same reasons.
 Privacy can be a concern for datasets in ways that go beyond individuals.
 For instance, data on potentially marginalised groups, whether Roma
populations in Eastern Europe or Somali populations in South Africa
(picking two examples at random), may not compromise any individual's
privacy but yet still present a privacy concern for the group as a whole.
 Similarly, we might consider that an endangered species has some right to
some level of privacy concerning data that might be used further compromise
its existence.  "My data" is simply too narrow a perspective on the issue.

I also think the normative nature of privacy needs to be addressed in some
way.  Given that privacy is all about expectation around who can see and
use data , defining the broad assumptions we make about expectations of
privacy is important.

Lastly, I think the Gun Map debacle (
http://irevolution.net/2013/01/23/perils-of-crisis-mapping/) hints at the
needs for a more nuanced approach to privacy that is no longer the binary
option of open or closed.

Regards... Steve Song

> > I'm sure we'll have comments, which anyone can leave here. I'll ping OKF
> and find out what their process is for changing things:
> >
> https://docs.google.com/document/d/10ZfCBi8W91m7_SIR7lwyOy9d0cmw5DUj7FCjg1cPXbc/edit
>
>
> haven't/couldn't check that for obvious reasons.
>
> > (no login should be required to edit that, and OKF have decommissioned
> their public etherpad which I used to be able to create things on)
>
> very sad.
>
> best,s
>
> --
> pgp: https://www.ctrlc.hu/~stef/stef.gpg
> pgp fp: FD52 DABD 5224 7F9C 63C6  3C12 FC97 D29F CA05 57EF
> otr fp: https://www.ctrlc.hu/~stef/otr.txt
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>

-- 
Steve Song
+1 902 529 0046
http://manypossibilities.net
http://villagetelco.org
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