Data Ecosystems

Sep 16 2022

Identity ecosystems are a central aspect of global digitalization; the principle of Do No Harm must be a policy priority and commitment

Identity is a data-rich resource that acts as a key to connect all levels of emerging digital ecosystems. All forms of ID carry some risk, but digital forms of ID, or “dematerialized ID,” cuts across all sectors and links copious data about individuals, their behaviors, financial status, associates, and potentially even political and religious views. Over time, distinct patterns emerge from the linked data and create new kinds of risks for individuals and groups. As the world becomes increasingly and intensely digitalized, we can expect challenges in the identity space to grow apace unless proactive attention is given to identifying and mitigating the current and future risks.

Jun 10 2022

Regulatory techniques and risk-based approaches in AI and machine learning

WPF has been invited to speak before the Brazilian Senate on the topic of the challenge of regulatory models for AI and machine learning systems. WPF Executive Director Pam Dixon will be testifying as an expert in this informational session; she was a delegate in creating the OECD AI Guidelines, and she currently co-leads the

May 11 2022

OECD Going Digital Horizontal Project: news and event

WPF’s Executive Director Pam Dixon will be presenting at an upcoming OECD Workshop on the topic of data stewardship, access, sharing, and control in regards to national data strategies. WPF will be speaking as a organizational member of the formal civil society stakeholder group at OECD (CSISAC). The topic of digitalization is one that OECD

Apr 27 2022

The neglected intersection between poverty and privacy in the United States

WPF is pleased to announce a new project examining the intersection between poverty and privacy in the United States. In the United States, the prevailing discussions about privacy rarely contemplate the poor, or how — or where — the poor or financially stressed may experience privacy challenges. This is also true of many legislative discussions regarding data governance, data protection, and privacy; there is generally not routine scrutiny of the intersection and impacts of proposed statutory language or approaches regarding those who live at or below the poverty level.

Mar 08 2022

An ecosystems approach to biometric regulation

WPF is pleased to announce the publication of new work by our Executive Director, Pam Dixon, in the March 2022 Turkish Policy Quarterly. “This journal article is an outgrowth of long work looking at what could help in the biometric ecosystem to address and mitigate the consequential risks of biometrics when used singly and in combination,” Dixon

National IDs Around the World — Interactive map

About this Data Visualization: This interactive map displays the presence...
Report: From the Filing Cabinet to the Cloud: Updating the Privacy Act of 1974

This comprehensive report and proposed bill text is focused on the Privacy Act of 1974, an important and early Federal privacy law that applies to the government sector and some contractors. The Privacy Act was written for the 1970s information era -- an era that was characterized by the use of mainframe computers and filing cabinets. Today's digital information era looks much different than the '70s: smart phones are smarter than the old mainframes, and documents are now routinely digitized and stored and perhaps even analyzed in the cloud, among many other changes. The report focuses on why the Privacy Act needs an update that will bring it into this century, and how that could look and work. This work was written by Robert Gellman, and informed by a two-year multi-stakeholder process.
COVID-19 and HIPAA: HHS’s Troubled Approach to Waiving Privacy and Security Rules for the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic strained the U.S. health ecosystem in numerous ways, including putting pressure on the HIPAA privacy and security rules. The Department of Health and Human Services adjusted the privacy and security rules for the pandemic through the use of statutory and administrative HIPAA waivers. While some of the adjustments are appropriate for the emergency circumstances, there are also some meaningful and potentially unwelcome privacy and security consequences. At an appropriate time, the use of HIPAA waivers as a response to health care emergencies needs a thorough review. This report sets out the facts, identifies the issues, and proposes a roadmap for change.