Protection and Privacy Pivotal to the UK’s National Data Strategy

The data protection and privacy issues surrounding the UK’s National Data Strategy were discussed by experts during a session at a recent Westminster eForum policy conference.

The strategy was published at the end of last year by the UK government, with the aim of harnessing data collected to boost productivity and innovation, both in the public and private sectors.

However, the panellists emphasized that safeguards around data privacy and protection are essential when implementing this national strategy. Gayle McFarlane, partner, Eversheds Sutherland, said that as a starting point, the objective of the data collection and its appropriateness must be clearly defined and communicated. “We need to think about what the ultimate purpose of it is and how it is going to be used,” she outlined. For example, McFarlane noted that while many would consider it a positive to allow the NHS to gather large amounts of data about people’s activities in order to drive health policies, “if that data is used to say if my smart watch hasn’t collected enough steps today and therefore I’m not entitled to particular treatments, do we still feel the same way?”

McFarlane also emphasized the importance of recognizing that different people will feel very differently about their data being collected and used by organizations. This can lead to unintended consequences, including users refusing to access vital services. “Individuals have a different view as to how comfortable they are about the risk-reward of sharing of data,” she explained, adding that “we need to make sure we bring people along with us.”

Due to suc ..

Support the originator by clicking the read the rest link below.