As someone who has been struggling to assess public health data at the country level, I personally prefer transparent and easy data-sharing practices. However, if I were the custodian of a dataset from my country, I would have to consider various factors before sharing the dataset. I would need to strike a balance between the benefits of data sharing and the privacy and ethical considerations of the people in the dataset.
It is important to remember that data involves people, and there is a lot of personal and sensitive information behind the numbers. Therefore, the benefits of data sharing must outweigh the potential harmful effects on the people in the dataset. As many friends discuss the advantages of data sharing, I want to focus on the disadvantages. Apart from the risks to individuals’ privacy and confidentiality, there is a serious issue I want to highlight. Inappropriate use and misinterpretation of shared data could lead to erroneous conclusions.
If I decide to share a dataset, I will prioritize obtaining informed consent from the individuals who contribute to the data. I will also implement anonymization and aggregate data to mitigate privacy risks while maintaining data utility. Moreover, I will establish a clear data use agreement outlining the level of permission given for data use.