Innovation Fund project: Risk-Utility Data Management Tool (RUM)
Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2025 6:13 am
Richard Welpton of the UK Data Service introduces the Risk-Utility Data Management Tool (RUM) which will enable data producers and service providers (such as the UK Data Service) to produce anonymised versions of datasets from confidential sources consistently, efficiently, and quickly
Introduction
Microdata provide the foundation for many types of insightful research with impact. Researchers routinely access microdata through the UK Data Service portal. Their data requirements will lebanon rcs data determine whether they access data through an End User Licence (the UK equivalent of a Public Use File), a Special Licence (Scientific Use File), or through a Controlled Licence (Secure Use File). The sensitivity of these types of data increases as the data become more detailed about individuals and commercial sector organisations in the versions. For some datasets which the UK Data Service holds, such as the Labour Force Survey or Understanding Society, there is a version available through each licence type.
A controlled version of a dataset has had little anonymisation undertaken applied. Only survey respondents’ names and addresses are removed. An End User Licence version by contrast, has had many anonymisation (or Statistical Disclosure Control, SDC) techniques applied: for example, top-coding to remove outliers; banding of variables such as age, income; creating averages, ratios, among others and removing sensitive values.
Introduction
Microdata provide the foundation for many types of insightful research with impact. Researchers routinely access microdata through the UK Data Service portal. Their data requirements will lebanon rcs data determine whether they access data through an End User Licence (the UK equivalent of a Public Use File), a Special Licence (Scientific Use File), or through a Controlled Licence (Secure Use File). The sensitivity of these types of data increases as the data become more detailed about individuals and commercial sector organisations in the versions. For some datasets which the UK Data Service holds, such as the Labour Force Survey or Understanding Society, there is a version available through each licence type.
A controlled version of a dataset has had little anonymisation undertaken applied. Only survey respondents’ names and addresses are removed. An End User Licence version by contrast, has had many anonymisation (or Statistical Disclosure Control, SDC) techniques applied: for example, top-coding to remove outliers; banding of variables such as age, income; creating averages, ratios, among others and removing sensitive values.