Big Data, Ethics and Children

Author: Gabrielle Berman

Publisher: United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

Publication Year: 2017

Summary: In the following article, the author begins with the statistic that an estimated 1 out of 3 internet users are children. Children now grow up with their data and digital footprints continuously tracked. The collection of this information could influence these children’s future opportunities. The author introduces a regulatory framework for addressing the ethics issues surrounding children’s data. This framework includes: 1). Educating data providers; 2). Data collectors must be transparent and held accountable. They also must design their Terms and Conditions agreements so that they are clear and easily understandable to their audience; 3). Data users should be educated in data literacy; and 4). Data analysts should be trained on ethics by child rights experts