Date/Time
Date(s) - Mon 17 May
13:00 - 13:50
Location
C31, University of Otago, Wellington
The impetus to get “bang for your buck” both for research, and public dollars spent has brought “big
data” into focus as a way of maximising returns on time and money, while also providing targeted
and effective outcomes. In many fields of research increasing technological sophistication is making
it easier to mine and synthesise meaningful information from large datasets. Alongside this there is
an appreciation that personal information has value to individuals and that individuals may view
their personal data with a sense of propriety. Often when considering personal data, particularly in
the context of research we fall into the idea of data ownership, that someone owns the information.
But is ownership the right concept for data? Is considering data as a commodity that can be owned
the ethical way to approach personal data use in research? Are there alternative models to
ownership that balance the rights of the individual and the responsibility to public good? In this
seminar I will be discussing the pitfalls of treating personal data as a commodity and proposing that
individuals, researchers and the public benefit more when we consider use of personal data through
a rights or interests-based lens. In particular, that by acknowledging the different parties that may
have interests in both the data and in the outcomes of the research, we can achieve ethical “big
data” research.
Odette Shaw, PhD
MHealSc Candidate, University of Otago
Video linked:
To secure the booking for this seminar video link in Wellington, please register your name, subject and date of seminar for attendance:
Wellington School of Medicine Room C31 Contact: Videoconferencing University of Otago
Wellington avvcsupport.uow[at]otago.ac.nz
Please note: if there is no registration (for northern campuses) by the Thursday prior to the
advertised seminar, the booking for that campus venue will be terminated.
For those who cannot attend in person, you are welcome to join via the ZOOM link below:
To those joining online, we do ask that you please mute yourself upon arrival to avoid accidental interruptions.
https://otago.zoom.us/j/922351556
Password: 595584