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Adding mailing list details and a small number of other edits
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jabhay committed Nov 28, 2020
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<p>
Comments regarding this draft document are welcome. Please file issues directly on <a
href="https://github.com/w3c/sdw/issues">Github</a>, or send them to our <a
href="mailto:public-geospatial-data-use@w3.org">mailing list</a> (<a href="mailto:">subscribe</a>, <a
href="">archives</a>).
href="mailto:public-geospatial-data-use@w3.org">mailing list</a> (<a href="mailto:public-geospatial-data-use@w3.org?subject=Subscribe">subscribe</a>, <a
href="https://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-geospatial-data-use/">archives</a>).
</p>
</section>
<section id='introduction'>
Expand All @@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ <h2>Context</h2>
Even though W3C is famous for developing standards, this note is not normative. Rather than presenting an overview of best practices ready for implementation, the purpose of this note is to start the conversation. You are therefore encouraged to join the authors of this document in exploring the question: “How do we use geospatial data responsibly?”
</p>
<p>
The use of data is speeding up, not only owing to increasing technical possibilities like AI and earth observation, but also as a result of crises such as COVID-19 and climate change accelerate the deployment of data and technology. This is happening on a small and local scale, as well as on a large and global one. Precisely because the use of data is becoming commonplace, it is urgent to internalize shared principles for the responsible use of data to achieve greater common value, better data and better products. These are preferably intrinsic principles that guarantee the safety and privacy of people, our social values and human dignity.
The use of data is speeding up, not only owing to increasing technical possibilities like AI and earth observation, but also as a result of crises such as COVID-19 and climate change which accelerate the deployment of data and technology. This is happening on a small and local scale, as well as on a large and global one. Precisely because the use of data is becoming commonplace, it is urgent to internalize shared principles for the responsible use of data to achieve greater common value, better data and better products. These are preferably intrinsic principles that guarantee the safety and privacy of people, our social values and human dignity.
</p>
<p>
This note is a living document, ready to be enriched with ethical wisdom from across the world. Current ideas presented in the note are framed by a western perspective, so further international collaboration is desired.
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<section id='data-ethics'>
<h2>Data Ethics</h2>
<p>
The interest and concerns around data ethics have grown over the past few years. Universities offer data ethics courses; companies and organisations design and conduct data ethics codes; government institutions implement data ethics governance. But what does data ethics mean? A simple search provides a myriad of data ethics frameworks, -codes and -guidelines. They all have the same purpose: to safeguard a responsible use of data.
The interest and concerns around data ethics have grown over the past few years. Universities offer data ethics courses; companies and organisations design and conduct data ethics codes; government institutions implement data ethics governance. But what does data ethics mean? A simple search provides a myriad of data ethics frameworks, codes and guidelines. They all have the same purpose: to safeguard the responsible use of data.
<p>
Not all data are the same: there are varying degrees of sensitivity. In most jurisdictions, the law accounts for the protection of sensitive data, particularly personal data. But can we rely on privacy laws to ensure responsible use of data? Perhaps more importantly, does the law determine what is considered responsible?
<p>
During the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic, governments across the world turned to data specialists for help. Seeing as COVID-19 is highly contagious, scientists have advised policies that ensure (social) isolation of COVID-19 patients. As a measure to control further transmission of the virus, many countries prioritised the identification and location of these patients. The approach towards this policy varied. Some governments, e.g., in China, Israel, Poland, Singapore, South Korea, and Japan invited or legally obliged citizens to use track and trace COVID-19 apps. The apps give government institutions (indeterminate) access to the users’ personal location data and record their potential COVID-19 symptoms. The level of intrusion varies per app, but all of them hold sensitive information as personal location data are, by definition, sensitive.
During the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic, governments across the world turned to data specialists for help. Seeing as COVID-19 is highly contagious, scientists have advised policies that ensure (social) isolation of COVID-19 patients. To control the spread of the virus, many countries prioritised the identification and location of these patients. The approach towards this policy varied. Some governments, e.g., in China, Israel, Poland, Singapore, South Korea, and Japan invited or legally obliged citizens to use track and trace COVID-19 apps. The apps give government institutions (indeterminate) access to the users’ personal location data and record their potential COVID-19 symptoms. The level of intrusion varies per app, but all of them hold sensitive information as personal location data are, by definition, sensitive.
<p>
Not only governments are relying on these tracking apps. Private entities have been acquiring both real time- and non-real time location information for years. However, as the technology improves, the relationship between its application and the societal impact changes. Location data have become a commodity. They are in high demand and profitable, but at which cost? And who pays the price? A commoditization of location data has the potential to benefit society, but that requires strong legal or communal pressure. Pressure to collect, process, visualise, use, and remove the data in a responsible way. So, where should this pressure come from? Legislation? Companies relying on location data? Ethical officers employed by these companies?
Not only governments are relying on these tracking apps. Private entities have been acquiring both real time and non-real time location information for years. However, as the technology improves, the relationship between its application and the societal impact changes. Location data have become a commodity. They are in high demand and profitable, but at what cost? And who pays the price? A commoditization of location data has the potential to benefit society, but that requires strong legal or communal pressure. Pressure to collect, process, visualise, use, and remove the data in a responsible way. So, where should this pressure come from? Legislation? Companies relying on location data? Ethical officers employed by these companies?
<p>
Every role or function that interacts with location data has a responsibility to show ethical leadership. That is the only way to incorporate ethics by design into the entire project/process. Based on panel discussions, webinars, and workshops about this topic, it is evident that the geospatial community is eager to show ethical leadership. The only question left is: How?

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<p>
*A noteworthy exception to this are the Unicef ethical considerations. In order to protect children in unsafe regions, the use of spatial data is both essential and risky. Therefore a critical and detailed assessment of data is crucial.

<section id='more-information-ethical-frameworks'>
<h3>More Information</h3>
<p>
For more information on these ethical frameworks, you can follow the links below.
</p>
<ul class='note' title='Ethical Frameworks Links'>
<li>UK Gov data ethics Framework: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/data-ethics-framework">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/data-ethics-framework</a></li>
<li>United Nations: Data Privacy, Ethics and Protection Guidance Note: <a href="https://unsdg.un.org/resources/data-privacy-ethics-and-protection-guidance-note-big-data-achievement-2030-agenda">https://unsdg.un.org/resources/data-privacy-ethics-and-protection-guidance-note-big-data-achievement-2030-agenda</a></li>
<li>Eurocities principles on citizen data: <a
href="https://eurocities.eu/latest/data-people-cities-eurocities-citizen-data-principles-in-action/">https://eurocities.eu/latest/data-people-cities-eurocities-citizen-data-principles-in-action/</a>
</li>
<li>Oxford-Munich Code of conduct for professional data scientists: <a href="http://www.code-of-ethics.org/">http://www.code-of-ethics.org/</a></li>
<li>Tech pledge: <a href="https://www.techpledge.org/">https://www.techpledge.org/</a></li>
<li>Planet.com code of ethics: <a href="https://www.planet.com/ethics/">https://www.planet.com/ethics/</a></li>
<li>Unicef’s Ethical Considerations When Using Geospatial Technologies for Evidence Generation: <a href="https://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/971-ethical-considerations-when-using-geospatial-technologies-for-evidence-generation.html">https://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/971-ethical-considerations-when-using-geospatial-technologies-for-evidence-generation.html</a></li>
<li>Compilation of data ethics frameworks: <a href="https://www.geonovum.nl/themas/geo4covid/ethical-framework">https://www.geonovum.nl/themas/geo4covid/ethical-framework</a></li>
</ul>
</section>

</section>
<section id='spatial-is-special'>
<h2>Spatial is Special</h2>
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