Paper details

Paper authors	Joachim Ramakers
In panel on	Towards responsible use of AI and geospatial data in preparedness and response to natural hazards and complex emergencies
Paper presenter(s) will be presenting	In-Person / Online

Abstract

Data responsibility in the humanitarian sector is a topic of increasing importance, considering the rapid spread of data and digital applications in this sector. Its origin is inextricably linked to the launch of the GDPR and the principles that provide the foundation of this regulation have inspired action from humanitarian actors to protect personal data. One of the challenges with the GDPR is that it is a human rights based approach which implies that upholding it relies on the data subject claiming their rights vis a vis the duty bearers. In reality, the data subjects of many humanitarian projects do not have the time, skills or resources to realistically claim their rights in often post facto scenario’s. In order not to do harm through data driven projects the responsibility should therefore be placed on humanitarian organisations, on the front end of these projects. They should not only consider the potential to do harm with personal data but also with other types of data.

Through this paper 510 wants to advocate for a front-end methodology that will anticipate the potential to do harm before it actually occurs. 510's approach to data responsibility will be presented which goes beyond privacy and data protection and builds on the principles of being human centred, doing no harm, transparency, accountability and effectiveness. It does not only consider personal data but also looks at possibilities to do harm through non-personal data and provides practical tools to aid in preventing this.

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