One of the topics we’ll be covering in this digital economy week is the emerging personal data economy, where individuals are taking control of their own personal data. My research has explored this theme, looking at how individuals can understand, control and benefit from their data through the lenses of business law and technology.

Marketing Week has just released a timely article on the opportunities and threats that arise from these developments. The article is based on a research report I contributed to through Ctrl-Shift, a market analyst and Web Science Institute industry partner who I work with alongside my PhD research.

The report also features a viewpoint from Sir Nigel Shadbolt on the phenomenon of personal data empowerment;

What you hope it isn’t is a massive landgrab of our individual data only for the benefit of the company… Data is an amazing raw material which, if made available in an appropriate way, is going to change the economic and social landscape.

This week we’ll be covering these issues in ‘Personal data in the hands of individuals’. I look forward to discussing them with you.

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Briefly tell me what your session is going to be about –
As part of the Economy week, my session will discuss new approaches to managing personal data in the digital age, from the perspective of business, law and technology. It will explore the idea that rather than being a company asset, personal data could be a tool in the hands of individuals themselves.

What are the main aims you want to achieve? –
I hope I’ll be able to get across a flavour of the complexities of the issue – how it touches on multiple disciplines and how it is rapidly changing. And I’m really looking forward to some stimulating debate with the Web Science MOOC participants!

How will the learners benefit? –
They will come away with some new concepts to think about, and perhaps a different perspective about online privacy – something which everyone has an opinion on these days. And for those who want to learn more, I’ll be pointing to some good places to start.

What excites you most about delivering this session within the Web Science MOOC? –
I’ve taken part in MOOCs before as a student, so it’s really interesting to be on the ‘other side’ of the classroom, as it were. I’m pleased to see that some participants have already started discussing the course online, with each other and the course tutors – a very ‘Web Science’ approach.

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