Research often requires using sensitive data to answer important questions. The ethical collection and analysis of personal information can be challenging to do while still protecting the privacy of the implicated individuals, honoring informed consent, and complying with other legal obligations. The technology, policies, and ethical considerations for researchers are constantly shifting, sometimes making it difficult to keep up. That’s why FPF engages stakeholders across academia and industry to produce recommendations, best practices, and ethical review structures that promote responsible research. Our work is centered around streamlining, encouraging, and promoting responsible research that respects essential privacy and ethical considerations throughout the research lifecycle. FPF works with policymakers to develop legislative protections that support effective, responsible research with strong privacy safeguards, including hosting events that allow policymakers and regulators to engage directly with practitioners from academia, advocacy, and industry.
FPF also has an Ethics and Data in Research Working Group. This group receives late-breaking analysis of emerging legislation affecting research and data, meets to discuss the ethical and technological challenges of conducting research, and collaborates to create best practices to protect privacy, decrease risk, and increase data sharing for research, partnerships, and infrastructure. Learn more and join here.
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AI Forward: FPF’s Annual DC Privacy Forum Explores Intersection of Privacy and AI
The Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) hosted its inaugural DC Privacy Forum: AI Forward on Wednesday, June 5th. Industry experts, policymakers, civil society, and academics explored the intersection of data, privacy, and AI. In Washington, DC’s southwest Waterfront at the InterContinental, participants joined in person for a full-day program consisting of keynote panels, AI talks, […]
Optum & The Mayo Clinic Win the 2022 Award for Research Data Stewardship
Author: Randy Cantz, U.S. Policy Intern, Ethics and Data in Research and former Communications Intern at FPF On Wednesday, May 10, 2023, the Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) honored representatives from Optum and the Mayo Clinic for their outstanding corporate-academic research data-sharing partnership at the 3rd annual Awards for Research Data Stewardship. The awards honor […]
Brussels Privacy Symposium 2021 Report
On November 16, 2021, the Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) and the Brussels Privacy Hub of Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) hosted the Brussels Privacy Symposium 2021 – The Age of AI Regulation: Global Strategic Directions. The event, convened by Jules Polonetsky, CEO of FPF, Christopher Kuner and Gianclaudio Malgieri, Co-Chairs of the Brussels Privacy Hub […]
2nd Annual McGowan Forum on Ethics: The Challenge of Big Data
On October 26, 2017, John Verdi, FPF’s Vice President of Policy, was a panelist for the National Archives Foundation’s 2nd Annual McGowan Forum on Ethics: The Challenge of Big Data. The panel discussed the ethical responsibility of those who compile and track citizens’ personal data. The conversation focused around what responsibility corporations and governments have to protect their customers and be transparent in regard to possible data hacks.
Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Ethical Applications
On September 25, 2017, the Future of Privacy Forum and the Information Accountability Foundation will co-host an official side event at the International Conference of Data Protection Commissioners. The event follows IAF’s publication of Artificial Intelligence, Ethics and Enhanced Data Stewardship, and FPF’s curation of leading research highlighting the privacy challenges posed by artificial intelligence.
Bridging Industry and Academia to Tackle Responsible Research and Privacy Practices
As more human interactions move online and the amount and variety of information shared digitally continues to grow, decisions regarding the collection, sharing, and use of this data must take into account both ethical and privacy considerations. It is important that industry and academia come together to find joint solutions for making these difficult decisions regarding privacy and ethics to maximize the benefits of data-driven research and practices, while ensuring that harms and negative outcomes are prevented.
AI Ethics: The Privacy Challenge
The Future of Privacy Forum and the Brussels Privacy Hub of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) are partnering with IEEE Security & Privacy in a call for papers focused on AI Ethics: The Privacy Challenge. Selected papers will be featured at The Brussels Privacy Symposium, an academic program jointly presented by the Brussels Privacy Hub of the VUB and FPF’s National Science Foundation supported Research Coordination Network.
Examining Ethics, Privacy, and Research Reviews
Today, the Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) and the Ohio State University’s Program on Data and Governance are holding a discussion of ethics, privacy and practical research reviews in corporate settings. This timely event, which follows the White House’s call to develop strong data ethics frameworks, convened corporate and academic leaders to discuss how to integrate ethical and privacy considerations into innovative data projects and research.
Advancing Knowledge Regarding Practical Solutions for De-Identification of Personal Data: A Call for Papers
De-identification of personal information plays a central role in current privacy policy, law, and practice. Yet there are deep disagreements about the efficacy of de-identification to mitigate privacy risks. Some critics argue that it is impossible to eliminate privacy harms from publicly released data using de-identification because other available data sets will allow attackers to identify individuals through linkage attacks.
June 14th Event: A Roundtable on Ethics, Privacy, and Research Reviews
Please join the Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) and the Ohio State University’s Program on Data and Governance in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, June 14, 2016, for a discussion of ethics, privacy and practical research reviews in corporate settings.