Ronald Jansen (UN) & Steve MacFeely (WHO): Harnessing the Power of PETs

On the first day of the Eyes-Off Data Summit in Dublin, we heard insightful talks from a variety of stakeholders. Lawyers, researchers, technology pioneers, and regulators all took the stage to discuss one critical issue — responsible data governance.

The day’s final talk, moderated by Katharina Koerner, featured Ronald Jansen, the Assistant Director at the United Nations Statistics Division, known for leading innovation efforts like the UN PET’s lab, and Steve MacFeely, the Director of Data and Analytics at the World Health Organization.

Their shared perspectives as early adopters, users, and innovation leaders in the realm of privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) emphasise the balance between individual and community benefits, innovation, and responsible use of proprietary data for the public good. Let’s dive into their conversation to uncover the transformative potential of PETs.

Leveraging PETs for Secure Data Exchange

Statistical officers are always on the hunt for new ways to utilise the extensive digital data vying for attention. However, accessing privately held data does pose a challenge. PETs have stepped in to mitigate this issue, allowing officers to secure data privacy, build trust with data providers, and improve data availability.

In orchestrating this intricate dance of data exchange, PETs serve as powerful enablers. By facilitating the secure sharing of fine-grained information, all the while safeguarding individual privacy, PETs help to build trust in our increasingly data-driven world.

Unlocking Limitless Opportunities for Society

The implementation of PETs is game-changing. It allows statistical officers to build trust, ensure responsible data use, and nurture our global digital ecosystem sustainably. The possibilities of what this could mean are endless.

Picture the world of public health, where healthcare providers and research institutions could securely and privately share data. This transfer would inform on critical health trends, facilitating early interventions and promoting overall community wellness.

In economic terms, statistical officers, with the support of PETs, could access data from various industries, unveiling hidden nuggets of micro-economic trends that could pivot policy-making towards bolstering economic resilience.

Similarly, in our increasingly urbanised world, city planners could incorporate data from private transport and logistics companies into their decision-making arsenal. This knowledge, currently locked away due to privacy issues, could assist in planning efficient transportation routes, reducing traffic congestion, and contributing to a greener urban environment.

In academia, researchers could access privately held and sensitive datasets, potentially paving the way for groundbreaking discoveries in fields ranging from climate science to sociology.

Bridging the Data Access Divide

There’s an evident tension in the data landscape — the push to open public data while private entities intend to capitalise on and retain control over their data. PETs can alleviate this tension, allowing a balance between leveraging data for the public good and minimising misuse risks. They facilitate a modern economy and society while ensuring the protection of individual and community identities.

In the case of nowcasting, where up-to-date estimates of global trade and GDP are crucial, relying solely on official data sources is insufficient. Alternative data and supplementary sources need to be considered.

The urgency is even more evident during global crises like COVID-19, where quick access to data, such as mobile phone data, is crucial for informing emergency public policies. However, delays and limitations in data access impede progress in such critical situations.

The discussion around PETs underscores the need for collaboration, shared learning, and community-driven efforts to tackle the challenges arising from data access and privacy issues.

By embracing responsible innovation and trust-building practices, we can leverage the potential of emerging technologies like PETs to unlock the true value of data, with the ultimate goal of benefiting humanity.

Practical Implementation of PETs

The UN Chief Executives Board has recognised the need to address a variety of data governance challenges, including data privacy. Although occupying only one part of the large data governance puzzle, PETs play a significant role in this wider context as a potential solution.

The UN has charted the path forward for the public good by publishing a PET guide and launching the UN PET Lab. This guide presents methodologies, use cases, and legal considerations for practical PET implementation.

The UN PET Lab focuses on hands-on experimentation, initially targeting data supply to official statistics. Successful experiments with public domain data, conducted in collaboration with statistical offices from the US, Canada, the Netherlands, and Italy, have shown the feasibility of sharing data using PETs.

Cross-Sector Collaboration

The proactive implementation of PETs in practical cases by entities like the US Census Bureau is a stepping-stone. This successful implementation is an assurance to statistical officers worldwide about the reliability and utility of PETs.

Collaborative efforts and shared learning are key to realising the potential of PETs for responsible data governance and producing valuable insights for society.

Additionally, we need to consider the entire data ecosystem we live in today, acknowledging its pervasive influence on our daily lives. Generating and consuming data has become intrinsic to our activities, raising important questions about protecting access, ensuring data privacy, and maintaining a balance between community protection and facilitating trade.

Future Outlook

To advance the responsible adoption of PETs, there are ongoing discussions at the United Nations regarding the formulation of a global digital compact. Data plays a significant role in these discussions, underscoring the importance of protecting identities to safeguard not only our society but also future economies.

By identifying convincing arguments and criteria for applying these technologies, the ultimate goal is to unlock the value of detailed sensitive data to deliver better services and improve public policies.

Additionally, it is essential to address the lack of knowledge and misconceptions surrounding privacy-enhancing technologies within communities. Therefore, engaging various stakeholder groups to better understand their perspectives is vital.