No Trust, No Data – How Digital Development Depends on Ethics

Author: Frederik Weiergang Larsen, Ninni Gustavsen.

Publisher: UNESCO Inclusive Policy Lab

Publication Year: 2021

Summary: The following article is primarily regarding data ethics in Denmark, but its principles are generalizable for all data professionals. When the article was written, the Danish Data Ethics Council set 5 leading principles for a digital COVID-19 passport, including: 1). A clearly defined and limited scope, 2). Transparency and voluntary use, 3). Data security and privacy, 4). Time limit on the storage of data, and 5). Clear political accountability. Likewise, the Danish government enacted a law in 2021 with a guide for businesses on how to incorporate data ethics into their reporting. The guide included the following considerations: 1). What types of data are used and how are they provided? 2). Which technologies, such as artificial intelligence, are used, how, and for what purpose? 3). What are the data ethical considerations of personalization and segmentation of products and services? And on which parameters does the personalization take place? 4). How and on what managerial level are decisions about the use of data and digital technology anchored, and how is continuous training of employees ensured? Businesses are to follow this guide in an effort to incorporate data ethics into their operations, which will ultimately provide greater transparency in business.