Exploring Data as and in Service of the Public Good

To facilitate the discussion, we introduce a new concept: Community data is any dataset that has the potential to play an important role in the fulfillment of human rights and attainment of the SDGs, that individuals and communities have a right to benefit from, and that needs to be accessible to relevant actors in ways that minimize the risks of accidental or intentional infringement of human rig. [...] Crucially, the benefits of data realized through the work of the members of the club need to be accessible to all as a public good which also helps the aspiration of community data. [...] Club goods for community data To realize the aspiration expressed in the definition of community data, there are three key tensions to navigate: (a) the collective obligation to provide access and protect data for public benefit;7 (b) the opportunity to use data for commercial benefit; and (c) the fair distribution of benefits derived from data across individuals and communities, and relatedly, th. [...] As there are risks associated with opening up the use of public and private-intent data through club structures to realize the aspiration 7 The obligation is to protect the “people and communities behind the data”, to be precise, not the data itself. [...] What purposes for data use are within the scope of community data? There is a need to specify the precise role of data in the fulfillment of human rights and attainment of the SDGs, while also addressing the process of modifying public good purposes for data use over time, with the understanding that innovation may create new opportunities.