Data protection legislation has an important ethical dimension. Find out more about how we work to incorporate conversations about ethics into our own approach as well as more broadly for the regulated community.
“Technology evolves and shifts more rapidly than legislation, at least in a functioning democracy, can respond to.
There are judgements to be made and decisions taken that are not binary.
For these reasons we seek to ground ourselves and our activities in values, ethics and integrity. I genuinely believe that this approach reflects the reality that data protection is so much more than a compliance tick box exercise; at its heart it is about human agency and autonomy, as well as equality, fairness and dignity.
If the starting point is behaving ethically, outcomes will be more positive, meaningful and sustainable. Which is what we are seeking to achieve.”
- Emma Martins
Data Protection Commissioner
Explore some of the ethical dimensions of data and its protection below, and find out how we work to incorporate conversations about data ethics into our own approach as well as more broadly for our community.
Data Ethics Principles - DataEthics
Blog: Data ethics and the digital economy - Information Commissioner’s Office
Why do we need data ethics? (Sep 2019 ODPA blog)
The philosophy of privacy (Nov 2018 ODPA blog)
An ethical data future? (Sep 2018 ODPA blog)
Debating Ethics: Respect and Dignity in Data Driven Life - Privacy Conference 2018
Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation - www.gov.uk
Data Ethics Group - The Alan Turing Institute