Data Ethics Unveiled: Exploring the DEDA Model through a Case Study
In one of our courses during the Master’s programme in Content Strategy we have taken a closer look at the topic data ethics. Based on the introductory lecture held by the head of the programme Robert Gutounig, we also experimented with setting up a ethics-based reflection workshop on data by ourselves. This article gives an overview of the increasing importance of data ethics and how was our experience when implementing the DEDA Model in a workshop.
Why is data ethics important?
The very fast increasing usage of AI and related technologies, regulators around the world have introduced new rules and legislation, and continue to work on new guidance. This implicates well the ethical aspects.
But as organizations collect, share and use ever-growing volumes of data about individuals, concerns have emerged regarding the responsible use of such data. According to McKinsey every organization is a data company and must have an ethical awareness of how to use them. They have an ethical responsibility (as well as legal obligations) to protect customers’ data, defend against breaches, and ensure that personal data are not compromised. But there is still a lot of grey area in this territory. Many business leaders still think that data ethics does not apply to the organization or they assume that data scientists have data ethics covered.
This situation is compelling governments, regulators, and companies to grapple with the matter of data ethics: how to protect people’s right to privacy of data ethics. How to protect people’s right to privacy and control over their personal data while still enabling organisations to use that data to deliver fresh insights, make smarter decisions, and provide better experiences. Organisations increasingly recognise that to stay competitive, innovate and drive growth, they need to collect data and use data. Data ethics is fundamentally a matter of morality. What is the impact of these solutions in terms of transparency, fairness, and explainability?
Data Ethics Decision Aid — DEDA Framework
A model that gives a context on how ethics should be applied to an organization is DEDA. DEDA is the abbreviation for Data — Ethics — Decision — Aid and laid also the foundation for the workshop we conducted.
The framework was developed from 2016–2018 by the Data School of the Utrecht University in cooperation with data scientists. The initial idea was to create it for “reviewing government data projects that considers” their social impact, the embedded values and the government’s responsibilities in times of data-driven public management (Franze 2021).
What are the benefits of the DEDA model?
- DEDA helps data analysts, project managers and policy makers to recognize ethical issues in data projects, data management and data policies.
- It is a good way to make ethics practically applicable.
- It is a heuristic approach that covers many aspects of data usage
- It increases awareness on how ethics can be applied on data management and policies
- It brings different teams together and provides transparency within the organisation
- It educates people
- It can be also used for documentation and to prove accountability towards the various stakeholders and the public
It also reveals:
- Ethical issues
- Responsibilities and decision makings
- Communication problems between departments and considers the social impact of how data is treated in the organisation
The framework examines 12 categories, which are basically divided between data related considerations and general considerations. The 12 categories are algorithms, source, visualization, access, anonymization, Sharing — reusing — repurposing, responsibility, communication, transparency, privacy, and bias.
CASE STUDY 7iber
In the workshop we analyzed the data of a survey that was sent out to newsletter subscribers of the Jordanian magazine 7iber. The magazine has developed a membership program for the magazine to generate independent funding. In a survey they asked 200 individuals who had subscribed before the newsletter to complete the survey which collected data on their age, gender education level, marital status. The aim of this program is to allow the content of the magazine to remain free to access, while offering additional benefits to members who pay for a subscription.
What was the outcome of the workshop?
In the case study chosen, there is almost no personal data, and no sensitive data such as information related to health or finance. Therefore, there’s not that much that went wrong concerning ethics; nevertheless, it was an interesting process and made us more aware of which problems could arise.
We had just insights from the person who works for the magazine. Therefore, it is recommendable to do a workshop with several people from the same organization. But in the discussion we could also add our ideas and impressions and also made us reflect on the ethical usage.
Sources:
https://dataschool.nl/en/deda/
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10676-020-09577-5
https://impacx.io/blog/data-ethics-what-is-it-and-why-is-it-important/
https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/ca/Documents/EN_DataEthics_POV_AODA.pdf