{"id":46328,"date":"2022-11-24T10:42:48","date_gmt":"2022-11-24T15:42:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/?post_type=emagazine&#038;p=46328"},"modified":"2022-12-07T10:24:36","modified_gmt":"2022-12-07T15:24:36","slug":"technology-data-ethicist","status":"publish","type":"emagazine","link":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/secure-futures-magazine\/technology-data-ethicist\/46328\/","title":{"rendered":"How data ethicists are helping tech business be better"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Using data responsibly is a hot topic. Tech companies must ensure they don\u2019t cause harm, for example, by breaching consumer privacy or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/secure-futures-magazine\/ethical-ai-artificial-intelligence\/42213\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">reinforcing bias through automated decisions<\/a>. It\u2019s a moral and legal question, but it may be unclear how businesses and governments should approach their data responsibilities despite increased regulation. We still see egregious data use practice.<\/p>\n<p>Alice Thwaite is technology ethicist and responsible owner for ethics at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mgomd.com\/omnigov-mg-omd\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">OmniGOV, MG OMD<\/a>, working with the UK government on communications and advertising. We chat about what data ethics means in practice.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_46527\" style=\"width: 264px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-46527\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-46527\" src=\"https:\/\/media.kasperskydaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/92\/2022\/11\/07102152\/Alice-Headshot-254x300.png\" alt=\"Alice Thwaite  OmniGOV MG OMD\" width=\"254\" height=\"300\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-46527\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alice Thwaite, OmniGOV, MG OMD<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Gemma: What does it mean to be a data ethicist today?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Alice: Ethics is the study of how to live. An ethicist takes a theory of how humans want to be treated and how we should interact with the wider world, and thinks about how an action or technology could contribute to that goal. We use ethical methodologies and knowledge about the consequences of a technology or business model to transform the business into one that prioritizes ethics.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"c-promo-post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"o-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"o-col-12@sm\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"c-card c-card--link c-card--hor@xs c-card--small@xs\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"c-card__figure c-card__figure--small@xs c-card__figure--medium@sm\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/secure-futures-magazine\/locus-charter-data-ethics\/44451\/\" class=\"c-card__figure-link\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/media.kasperskydaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/92\/2022\/06\/07081845\/315_We_need_a_new_definition_of_success_in_cybersecurity-500x500.jpg\" class=\"attachment-card-default size-card-default wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" data-src=\"https:\/\/media.kasperskydaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/92\/2022\/06\/07081845\/315_We_need_a_new_definition_of_success_in_cybersecurity-500x500.jpg\" data-srcset=\"\" srcset=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"c-card__body  \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<header class=\"c-card__header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"c-card__headline\">Related article<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"c-card__title \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/secure-futures-magazine\/locus-charter-data-ethics\/44451\/\" class=\"c-card__link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Could this voluntary charter fix data ethics in big tech?<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg class=\"o-icon o-svg-icon o-svg-right\"><use xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" xlink:href=\"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/plugins\/kaspersky-emagazine\/assets\/sprite\/icons.svg#icon-arrow-long\"><\/use><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/header>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"c-card__desc \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Infuriating examples of data misuse abound, but one non-profit has a plan to lift ethical standards among all who collect and use personal data.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<footer class=\"c-card__footer\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"c-card__list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"c-list-labels js-has-reading-time\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"c-list-labels__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/secure-futures-magazine\/category\/data-and-privacy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Data and privacy<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li><span class=\"js-reading-time\"><\/span> min read<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"u-hidden js-reading-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWe know some people and businesses will, given the chance, use personal location data in unethical ways. When automotive cybersecurity experts Karamba Security posted a fake vehicle control unit online, they saw 25,000 attempted breaches in three days. Stalkers have used AirTag, Apple's coin-sized device for finding lost keys or other property, to track victims.\r\n\r\nRegulations like the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) define minimum standards of data ethics, but the case for going further is strong. To that end, what can help those tech businesses who want to stay ahead of the data exploitation curve by upholding the highest data ethics standards?\r\nLearning to foresee the unforeseen\r\nInternational non-profit the Locus Charter promotes a higher standard of responsibility for professionals and businesses when it comes to location data. They want to avoid unforeseen privacy breaches by working out what can go wrong and pinpoint big problems before they're exploited. They champion public interest by showing businesses how to prevent unintentional harm.\r\n\r\nThe charter is based on ten principles that balance moral behavior with economic benefit, like realizing opportunities and understanding impacts.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nLocation data is one of many frontiers. As veterans of data policy in and out of government, the charter's founders want to be part of all kinds of data discussions.\r\nAutomation challenging data ethics\r\n\"The most important focus in data ethics is exploring the power granted by the accumulation of data so everyone can recognize how that power can be used and misused,\" Ben Hawes, Technology Policy Consultant and co-author of the Locus Charter, told me.\r\n\r\nHe continues, \"There's an assumption automated systems and digital technologies are always better. Economic pressures mean companies prefer the promise of greater productivity at all costs, which can be alarming when people are unaware of many potential data misuses, accidental or deliberate.\"\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\"Some risks in business going digital crop up in all sectors,\" said Hawes. \"We often see 'designer biases,' where developers center their own experiences, leading to alienating people who don't fit the same racial, economic or physical profile. Another issue is automation making back-end processes more complex until they're opaque. There are also sector-specific issues.\"\r\n\r\nWith the digital world's size and potential, regulating the space is an uphill battle. New ways to exploit data are appearing faster than lawmakers can address them.\r\nIs self-regulation enough?\r\nHawes doesn't support a relaxed approach to data ethics. \"It's unwise to avoid oversight and critical regulation in the hope self-regulation may be enough, as it rarely is.\"\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA 'wild west' model is attractive for short-term gains by freeing emerging markets from red tape, but loose protections don't create conditions for long-term growth or stable markets, especially in an age of social pressure on brands to be ethical.\r\nCan whitewashing be cleaned up?\r\nWith limited regulative authority, a non-profit trade initiative likely isn't eager to bicker with companies they're working with. Organizations like Locus may be better placed, approaching economic ethics from a collaborative angle.\r\n\r\nOf course, some companies are only interested in the PR boost of appearing ethical by whitewashing their marketing because they don't want to be the only ones following the rules in a competitive arena. They end up paying lip service alone, without taking the issues seriously.\r\n\r\nHawes thinks despite this, there's still benefit in working in good faith. \"To get ethically reluctant companies to behave well with data, is it better to give them the benefit of the doubt or be critical and accusing? I think, better to have a company aspire to a good standard, even if it's empty promises, because they can at least be held to those standards in some way.\"\r\nLess direct ways of influencing\r\nA cooperative strategy may create the best conditions in a self-regulating atmosphere. When ethics groups collaborate with business, they influence thousands of staff members, creating internal pressure for higher standards in the boardroom.\r\n\r\nIt's also worth championing an ethical company for consumers looking to do the right thing with their money. Though strategies like these can't do it all, they have worked, motivating large companies to produce net-carbon zero plans and banks to create green investment options.\r\n\r\nBut data misuse is not the same as pollution. \"It's harder to see and analyze compared with other high-profile scandals, so it's hard to translate into a common grievance that can unite people,\" says Hawes.\r\n\r\nWill something have to go badly wrong for the world to take it seriously? Hawes considers, \"If authorities avoid developing solutions until a problem causes substantial harm, they'll still need about a decade to develop tools that would be effective in this complex market. Governments should be working on this yesterday.\"\r\n\r\nIn other words, have a fire extinguisher ready when playing with matches, rather than trying to invent one as your house burns down.\r\nReforming data use culture\r\nThe task of reforming fast-evolving data industries is daunting. Hawes' recommended method involves slowly, steadily establishing ethical practice as the norm.\r\n\r\n\"The UK has the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum for sharing information and approaches. It lets regulators gain knowledge of the risks data and digitalized business generate, so they can manage them sector by sector. We need a forum like that on an international scale,\" says Hawes. \"Understanding risks like explainability, transparency and bias creates a foundation for building standards that address the problem and brings stability to the data economy.\"\r\n\r\nThis pressure can also come from outside industry, and often flavors the expectations that filter into business. \"More public debate on how we can avoid driving digital inequalities would go a long way,\" says Hawes. \"This is particularly important in social media, which is the frontline of data ethics in many ways.\"\r\n\r\nWhile data privacy issues haven't seen the emphasis Hawes and his peers would like, they're eager to change the culture. Business can choose to be part of the solution and be heralded as ethical data use champions for their efforts.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/footer>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n<p>Businesses have always operated in the realm of ethics, but usually without a systematic approach.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>An organization may choose to not advertise on social media because of increased hate speech. That\u2019s an ethical decision. But without a strategy for what ethical \u2018good\u2019 means, these decisions are emotive rather than accountable and measurable.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Ethicists co-create frameworks with stakeholders like customers, colleagues and wider society so that an organization\u2019s values become critical in business decisions.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What does that look like in practice?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>First, we help organizations understand where they\u2019re making ethical decisions and show how they\u2019ll need a more systematic process to reach their ethical goals. Second, we educate organizations on ethical methodology and issues. Third, we assess practice to understand what the company wants to prioritize and how current practice meets ethical goals, making suggestions like \u2018ethical pilots.\u2019 Finally, we implement and measure ethical pilots so they can become policy.<\/p>\n<p>We don\u2019t work in a vacuum \u2013 we must be in constant contact with various communities. For example, before establishing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, a company might think racial equality is important but have no roadmap to get there. With an influence campaign, education, auditing and an implementation program, they may still have a way to go. But they\u2019re now measuring ethnicity pay gap and thinking about inclusive work environments for different people. They can keep following the \u2018influence, educate, assess, implement\u2019 process to fruition.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where do organizations start? What tips do you have for those keen to start doing ethics?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Hire someone to build an ethical program and link them with a sponsor who can ensure the organization implements their recommendations.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>There are few ethicists with experience right now. I\u2019d start with upskilling someone you\u2019re already working with who has an interest.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>They may have a degree in philosophy, international relations, social science or community work experience. Ensure they can learn as much as possible about business ethics and support their attempts to transform the culture.<\/p>\n<p>Those in data security or compliance should recognize an ethicist has different processes. The goals may be similar, but the process aligns more with social science and humanities methods.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What questions should organizations wanting a data ethicist ask?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Are we committed to change? Do we want a world prioritizing human values like democracy, dignity and freedom? Are we prepared for the discomfort that comes with changing procedures?<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re prepared to change, write a job description incorporating things I\u2019ve mentioned and encourage your team members to apply.<\/p>\n<p><em>Opinions reflect those of the expert. Interview edited for clarity.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Organizations don\u2019t always know how to be ethical with data and tech. Ethicist advising the UK government, Alice Thwaite, explores ways to look at the problem.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2518,"featured_media":46329,"template":"","coauthors":[3504],"class_list":{"0":"post-46328","1":"emagazine","2":"type-emagazine","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"emagazine-category-data-and-privacy","7":"emagazine-category-leadership","8":"emagazine-category-tech-for-good","9":"emagazine-tag-careers","10":"emagazine-tag-ethics","11":"emagazine-tag-interviews"},"hreflang":[{"hreflang":"x-default","url":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/secure-futures-magazine\/locus-charter-data-ethics\/44451\/"},{"hreflang":"en-us","url":"https:\/\/usa.kaspersky.com\/blog\/secure-futures-magazine\/locus-charter-data-ethics\/26592\/"}],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/emagazine\/46328","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/emagazine"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/emagazine"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2518"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46329"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46328"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=46328"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}