Cumulative Revelations of Personal Data

Cumulative Revelations of Personal Data takes a multidisciplinary approach to investigating how small, apparently innocuous pieces of personal information that are generated through interactions with/in networked systems over time, collectively pose significant unanticipated risk to personal reputation and employers' operational security. Such cumulative revelations come from personal data shared intentionally, from personal data shared by others, increasingly from automatic recognition software, as well as from cross-authentication practices that favour convenience over security (e.g. signing into AirBnB via Facebook). Brought together, these data can provide unintended insights to others into, for example, an individual's habits, work patterns and personality.

The research brings together expertise in socio-digital Interaction (Dundee), co-design and IxD (UNN), information retrieval (Strathclyde), and computational legal theory (Edinburgh), all working with key partner the Royal Bank of Scotland, along with the Government Office for Science, Bristows LLB and Crest (Lancaster).

Northumbria will work with the team at Strathclyde on the iterative design, build and deployment of a real-time visualisation tool that represents an individual's 'holistic digital footprint' with the aim of enabling individuals to better understand the cumulative nature of their personal data, associated vulnerabilities and risks.