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Citizen Science: Is data a human right?

Citizen Science: Is data a human right? 2896 1947 Nicki Gerrard

Data privacy is a big concern so a recent CitizenMe survey aimed to shed some light on people’s attitudes and beliefs about their own data and how it’s used.

The survey was matched against participants’ Big 5 personality traits (Openness, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, Neuroticism, and Extraversion) to see if there was any correlation with Citizens’ opinions on privacy issues.

What we found out

Over 1000 global Citizens took part in the survey where an overwhelming 84% of participants believed that the data they create should be protected as a human right.
76% of those surveyed also believed that they own the data they create simply by existing.
Additionally, over half of those taking part, 52%, worried that their personal data was being used without their knowledge.

Bringing in the Big 5, we also found that people with higher scores in the personality trait of conscientiousness tended to be more worried about their data being used without their knowledge compared to those with lower scores. Those who had a higher score in agreeableness tended to be more likely to grant consent to data collection compared to those who scored lower in this personality trait.

When asked about the types of personal data that concern them the most, the top five responses were name and address, banking details, medical records, shopping habits, and media habits.
Interestingly, the survey found that people with higher scores in extraversion tended to be more concerned about their media habits being used without their knowledge compared to those with lower scores in extraversion.

The survey also found that people have varying levels of trust in different types of websites when it comes to personal data. A significant amount of participants, 37%, admitted to providing false personal information online in order to protect their identity.

Conclusion

This CitizenMe survey provided deeper insights into people’s attitudes and beliefs about their own data and how it’s used.

It shows that Citizens understand that their ‘Digital Mirror’ is an extension of themselves and a significantly high proportion of Citizens believe that the data they create should be protected as a human right. Not only this, many are concerned about their data being used without their knowledge.

Accept all

Photo credit: Wired

It’s important to be aware of Data Privacy and take steps to protect your personal data. This could include being selective about the types of websites and apps you use.

Taking the time to understand what data is being collected when the, innocent-looking, ‘accept all’ button pops up is also key.

CitizenMe is a Zero Party Data app designed with privacy and control in mind. Our ethical data platform ensures that your data is kept safe, empowering you to own your data, creating better outcomes for businesses, and ultimately inspiring change across society.