Decision making processes for data sharing: a framework for data trusts

Introduction: while there is as yet no agreed definition of a data trust [1], it can be generally understood as a legal, technical and organisational structure for enabling the sharing of data. In a data trust context, trustees act on behalf of beneficiaries and trustors [2] and hence must rigorously interrogate the benefits and risks of data sharing to decide access. The authors have experience in implementing a data-sharing decision process in the Horizon2020 Data Pitch project and in the Interreg 2Seas Smart City Innovation Framework Implementation project, from which we derive these insights as to the elements that comprise robust approval.

Requirement for decision-making processes: unlike open data, which has minimal restrictions on use, shared data is often linked to terms and conditions, with which the purpose of use must comply. A governance process must be established to decide who gets access to the data and why.

Preliminary Framework: we have modelled an initial framework that identifies key considerations in the data sharing process. A combination of rights/consents and potential uses defines the space of possible uses of the data [3], which directs related action. Understanding this space and the best way to explore it is the cornerstone of the framework, as it protects the data, data subjects (if any), the data holders, the beneficiaries and the trustees. However, it is vital to further consider several dimensions that will impact the process: how benefit is measured; how eligibility of users is assessed; how the period of time for which the data is shared is decided (and how the end of the period is managed); how the process is made transparent and, finally, how issues such as preserving purpose over time and reducing movement of data can be incorporated.

CCS CONCEPTS
• H.3.5 Online Information Services – Data Sharing
KEYWORDS
Data sharing, Data trusts, Decision-making processes


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 732506.
REFERENCES
[1]J. Hardinges, (2018). What is a Daa Trust?
https://theodi.org/article/what-is-a-data-trust/
[2]K. O’Hara, (2019) Data Trusts: Ethics, Architecture and Governance for Trustworthy Data Stewardship. Web Science Institute White Paper #1
[3]S. Stalla Bourdillon and A. Knight. (2017) Legal and Privacy Toolkit v.1.0
http://www.datapitch.eu/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/PUBLIC-LEGAL-AND-PRIVACY-TOOLKIT-VERSION-1.0-DELIVERABLE-8.1-FINAL-30-JUNE-2017.pdf
Price:$15.00