Exploring privacy concerns and ethical implications tied to location data aggregation.
In the article, “Tracking Gay Priests and Abortion Seekers with Location Data” published in Psychology Today, Jen Golbeck, a professor at the College of Information Studies (INFO), discusses the privacy concerns surrounding the aggregation and analysis of location data. With advancements in technology, it’s becoming increasingly easy to collect vast amounts of such data. This development raises ethical questions about the potential risks and implications on individual privacy.
She highlights several examples where location data has been used to reveal sensitive information. “This kind of data could be used to track women seeking abortion care, mental health services, or engaging in lawful protests,” Golbeck writes.
Considering these concerns, it becomes essential to redefine privacy policies centered around location data. Policymakers and data custodians should prioritize transparency and user consent while exploring novel technologies, like differential privacy, to protect users’ privacy without compromising data utility.
Read the full article here. Written by Jennifer Golbeck Ph.D. Published on April 2, 2023 by Psychology Today.