How can public understanding of the opportunities, implications and the skills required be improved, and ‘informed consent’ secured?
The Ipsos Mori Dialogue on Data (2014) report, which explores public views on using administrative data for research purposes, was an excellent guide to the above topics.
At the intersection of ‘research’ and ‘ethical behaviour’ there is a growing conundrum: a key feature of data analytics in the business sector is to uncover hidden patterns, or things which france rcs data are unknown; in the social science (and medical) domains ‘informed consent’ is to provide sufficient information on all aspects of research which may be carried out (or use to which the data may be put.) In the big data world, real informed consent may become a contradiction. Baroness O’Neill has argued eloquently that “genuine consent for the reuse of highly complex data for highly complex purposes is unworkable.” Big Data allows us the opportunity to reimagine the complex interplay of the ethical reuse of data for all data, and may also allow for a real data revolution. ( area by the Cabinet Office from a national perspective, and the compiler of these comments is an UK representative on an OECD group working on some international recommendations.)
What further support is needed from Government to facilitate R&D on big data, including to secure the required capital investment in big data research facilities and for their ongoing operation?