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New service launched to enable individuals to take control of their online data

New service launched to enable individuals to take control of their online data

Posted on 17 October 2024

A new data service will work to empower individuals to understand their own online data and share it safely with researchers to help improve digital wellbeing.

The Smart Data Donation Service is the first of its kind in the country

The £7.6 million Smart Data Donation Service (SDDS), led by the University of York, is focused on addressing the significant gap in understanding digital lives. It forms part of a wider £22 million investment by Smart Data Research UK (SDR UK) in a number of new data services that will enable researchers across the UK to access new forms of smart data.

The first of its kind in the country, researchers will recruit a nationally representative cohort of data donors, initially focusing on 90,000 donations from video game users and expanding to wider online services including social media.

Urgent need

Dr David Zendle, from the University of York’s Department of Psychology, said: “The new service meets an urgent need for evidence-based policy around online safety, behaviour and digital wellbeing.

“Under GDPR, individuals are given an enormously powerful right - the right to data portability. Should they choose, they can request and obtain a machine-readable copy of the data that a corporation holds about them. We want to enable people to benefit from this right, and together build a safer and more equitable online environment.

“The SDDS will provide direct value to users of online services by making it easy to request, receive and understand their data. Along the way, these ‘data donors’ will be given the opportunity to share data for the purpose of empowering research for the public good.”

Responsible use

Having access to this kind of data will enable entirely new kinds of research into mental health, digital literacy, and online community, as well as addiction, discriminatory behaviour, and disinformation.

Other data services announced by SDR UK include a satellite imagery service, and services that provide new insights into the economy, environment, health, and wellbeing. All of the new services will work collaboratively with the SDR UK programme to acquire and enable safe access to a diverse range of smart data, as well develop user-friendly services and ensure responsible use of data.

Improve lives

Smart data is data generated through everyday interactions with the digital world, including via mobile apps, navigation systems, social media, and shopping. It offers a powerful opportunity to understand society and improve lives.

Joe Cuddeford, Director of Smart Data Research UK, said: “These new data services are a major step forward in our mission to unlock the power of smart data for society. By providing researchers with safe access to new data, methods and tools we are empowering them to tackle some of the most pressing challenges facing the UK today, from boosting productivity to improving health outcomes.”