Building public confidence in location data: The ABC of ethical use
The Geospatial Commission publishes a policy paper on location data ethics proposing shared values to build public trust in the use of location data
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In June 2022, the Geospatial Commission published its policy paper on location data ethics, in line with a commitment made in the UK’s Geospatial Strategy. The paper outlines the Geospatial Commission’s informed views on how to unlock value from location data while mitigating ethical and privacy risks, ensuring compliance with legal principles and retaining the trust of citizens.
The paper has been informed by a programme of engagement across the geospatial landscape, wider government data ethics policy and extensive public engagement. In December, the Geospatial Commission published the findings of an independent public dialogue on location data ethics - the UK’s first deliberative consultation on location data ethics.
Our public engagement found that many citizens recognise and support the use, sharing and reuse of their location data to provide personal conveniences and public benefits but that this support is conditional. The paper provides organisations with three ethical building blocks - Accountability, Bias and Clarity (or ABC) - to build public trust and maximise confidence in this system of use and reuse of data, and as a result increase the public’s willingness to share their location data.
- Accountability: Governing location data responsibly, with the appropriate oversight and security.
- Bias: Considering and mitigating different types of bias, and highlighting the positive benefits of location data.
- Clarity: Being clear about how location data will be used and the rights of individuals.