The Ethical Dilemma of Personal Privacy in GIS

1. The Ethical Dilemma of Personal Privacy in GIS Catherine Kavanagh Wexford County Council

2. Personal Privacy in GIS • Who has information about us? • Internet Usage and Technology Changes • Increase in GIS & Effects on Privacy • Data Integration & Geocoding • Organisational Responsibility & Data Protection Legislation

3. Who has information about us?

4. Mapping our Location • How many times are is our location and activity captured during the day • Receiving or making phone call • Sending or receiving texts • CCTV / tolls / travel cards on the way to work • Id card to access the office • Flextime system to clock in/out • Online access during the day • Using an ATM / laser card / store card

5. Questions • What information is being stored? • What use is being made of the information? • Does it erode our privacy? • Can we do anything about it? • Do we want to do anything about it?

6. Personal Privacy & Ethics • The development of computerised information systems means that privacy is now a matter of the protection of data about oneself (Curry, M, 1999). • Ethics implies civic responsibility on the part of citizens and responsibility by society’s institutions, including governments.

7. Internet Users in Ireland Source – InternetWorldstats.com

8. PC Ownership & Broadband Access Source – www.census.ie

9. Disclosure of Personal Data 61% Social Network Site 79% Online Shopping 54% Aware of data collection conditions 26% Control of Personal Data Attitudes on Data Protection and Electronic identity in the European Union, June 2011

10. Home Work • Affordable computers • Accessible broadband • Social Networking • Web apps / Mobile apps • Location Based services • Smartphones • Cost of computing capability • Cheap / OpenSource software • Online & Free Training • Web apps / Mobile apps • Location Based services • Cloud computing • Telematics Changes in Technology

11. Increase in use of GIS • Mobile devices - phones, laptops, ebook readers, digital cameras, and gaming devices -- are location aware • Availability of online mapping sites / Streetview / orthophotography • Location Based Services • Positioning Systems - GPS & IPS • Online data capture / Increased availability of data • Low cost of GIS integration / cost of GIS software

12. GIS & Google • Google maps released in 2005 • 1.1 million websites use Google API to integrate GIS functionality into their website • 40% of Google map usage from mobile phone • 200 million users in 2011 Sources www.trends.builtwith.com

13. Location Privacy & Telematics • Location privacy – concerns the claim of individuals to determine for themselves when, how, and to what extent location information about them is communicated to others (Duckham, M. et al, 2006) • Vehicular Telematics • Fleet management, car navigation, car theft tracking, vehicle diagnostics, speed monitoring • Personal Telematics • Protection & safety benefits

14. Smart Phone Usage • Smart phone ownership at 43% in Ireland in 2012 • 41% of smart phone users access mapping or travel apps • Information that smartphones collect • What services you use and how you use them • What search queries you used • IP address, browser type, language, date and time of your request, unique cookie id to identify your computer • Telephony log information such as phone number, number called, time and date of call, duration • Location Source Amarach Research

15. Example - Geotagging

16. Geotagging

17. GIS & Data Integration • Geographic information is factual information about land and resources • when matched with other data about individuals may become personal information • GIS is a powerful data integrating technology • Adds value to the data • Makes data more relevant for analysis and decision making

18. Census Information – Small Areas Source – www.maps.pobal.ie

19. Limitations of Data Integration • Capacity for integration of spatial information and personal information from multiple sources • Limitations of geocoding in Ireland • 35% approx of all address are non-unique • Varying address structures • Different spellings • Two languages • Errors in data entry

20. Geocoding – Benefits & Difficulties • Benefits • Centralised address database • Single view of the customer • Improve data management • Improve efficiencies • Difficulties • Non-unique address • 39% in Wexford • Maintain Data Privacy

21. Local Authority Datasets

22. Example 1 - Planning • Legislative requirement to digitise applications and make this data available to the public • Applications back to 1985 are available • Viewable online • Valued source of information to public and staff • Inherent right of public to access this information • Digitise applications, enforcements, preplanning, dangerous structures

23. Example 1 - Planning

24. Example 2 - Septic Tank Registrations

25. Example 3 - Rates • 5,000 rateable properties • 6 months to digitise • Difficulty with database & rural addressing • Used local knowledge • 80% success rate • Compare with geodirectory • Find businesses not assessed for rates • Maintain privacy - Benefit to customer

26. Example 3 - Rates

27. Example 3 - Rates

28. Example 3 - Rates

29. Postcodes – A privacy issue? • Save duplication • Improve efficiency • Opportunities • Remove urban v rural divide • Must have unique postcodes • Overhead of implementing postcodes must have benefits • Integrated with geodirectory

30. Organisational Responsibility • Organisations have a responsibility to be aware of their legal obligations regarding data privacy and protection • Data Inventory • Know where the data is and who has access to it • Identify and prioritise • Protection of personal data • People • Process • Technology

31. People & Process • All staff • Application of Data Protection legislation • Awareness of organisational privacy policy • GIS Staff • Implications of geocoding and data matching • Data integration must not impinge on personal privacy • Process of data • Available to only those entitled to view it

32. Technology • Proactive approach • Risk Assessment • Technology changes i.e. cloud computing etc • Access policy • Implement data security • Firewalls, Password protection, Antivirus protection & Encryption policies • Awareness of non-intentional disclosure and access

33. Data Protection • Data Protection Acts of 1988 and 2003 provide protection of the right of individuals to data protection • Put responsibility on organisations to protect personal data • Need to be modernised • Disclosing personal data is a part of modern life • Impossible to opt out

34. Data Protection • New legislation proposed to provide • A ‘right to be forgotten’ • Explicit consent • Single set of data protection rules across the EU • Give individuals more control over their personal data • Standardised regulation to benefit business

35. Conclusion • Organisational challenge • Act within legislative framework • Protect privacy • Exploit location data to improve services and efficiencies while maintaining the privacy of sensitive data • Personal challenge • Awareness of new technologies • Protect personal data