Background
We are living in a datafied society. Our daily life is tracked through our mobile phones and computers, and our user data is sold for the benefit of global platforms, advertisers and data-analytic companies. User data collected from digital platforms and transactions is not only used to create profiles for digital markets and advertising. It is also used by political parties and states, making political advertising more prevalent than before. Further, decision-making in important areas of society and state, such social welfare, healthcare or environmental planning are increasingly relying in big data and machine learning. However, the organizational responsibilities on machine learning based decisions and individual’s possibilities to make appeals on possible mistakes are still largely yet to be arranged. Thus, while datafication may increase effectiveness on many sectors of society, it also forms a threat for privacy, freedom and democratic decision-making.
Goals
In this research project, housed at the Tampere University, the first thing to do when trying to prevent undemocratic development related to datafication is to raise people’s awareness on the vastness of data-tracking in daily life, especially related to social media platforms. Most people are still not aware of the mechanisms of datafication: how much of their activities on digital platforms and different digital services is tracked and sold to third parties without their knowledge; how their data may be used for categorizing, profiling and creating ‘bubbles’. Only by helping people to understand the processes of datafication, it is possible to challenge practices of digital surveillance and political manipulation.
Process
In this project we have two parallel forms of action. Firstly, we arrange workshops in which we help people to learn about data gathering practices and manage their own data. In these workshops we learn about people’s understandings, desires and feelings about data gathering practices and their visions for data management: What data-based services are considered fair and helpful? What kind of services are considered harmful or even dangerous?
Secondly, we co-operate with the Finnish public service media company YLE to create public awareness on datafication through journalistic stories, public debates and campaigns. With YLE we also explore fair data practices and map new initiatives that seek to create ethical infrastructures to organize digital participation for the benefit of the society and democracy.
Lessons learned
Our workshops have revealed that people are willing and eager to gain skills and information on how their data is tracked and how to protect their privacy. People are also capable to discuss and invent solutions on how to improve the present situation even though they are often overwhelmed by the complexity of data structures. We have also learned that there are several small-scale initiatives concurrently seeking to create alternatives for the platformed, datafied media ecosystem. In other words, we have identified increased interest in developing alternatives in the media sector and well as increased political pressure to regulate technology companies that dominate the field with access to vast data.
Challenges
Datafication is a complicated issue that is difficult to grasp even for people who already have good competence on the use of digital services. While we may be able to enhance technical skills for data protection on individual level, raising awareness on the social and political developments related to datafication appears particularly challenging. This requires more profound media literacy projects – or data literacy projects. Furthermore the various initiatives for ethical infrastructures and fair data practices are small-scale compared to the resources of global technology giants that mostly benefit from datafication. Therefore, the development of fair data practices is at risk of remaining marginal or utopian project – and it requires collaboration and resources of various actors and institutions.
More information
Kaarina Nikunen, Professor of Communication and Media Research, Tampere University
Email: kaarina.nikunen@tuni.fi
Phone: +358401904094