Designing for Data Autonomy Through Decentralisation

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The proposed research aims to probe the intersection of data autonomy and decentralised systems, focusing on how users can retain greater control over their personal data and its uses during their online social media interactions facilitated by decentralised paradigms. The spread of behavioural engineering and misinformation has become an acute challenge on social media platforms. Providing users with more transparent and trustworthy information is emerging as one of the most outstanding challenges in the age of AI. Emphasising a user-centric methodology, the project seeks to architect a novel decentralised social media framework, ushering in an era where personal data is managed in a more decentralised and autonomous manner. The project will involve the understanding of barriers for users to develop and exercise data autonomy in new types of social media paradigms, the creation of new responsible AI recommendation systems, transparent data governance models, and methodologies for participatory designs to enhance user data autonomy. It will also provide inputs to current industrial best practice development and regulatory and policy developments in the UK and beyond. This project falls within the EPSRC "information and communication technologies" research area and its themes of "artificial intelligence, digitisation and data". The project has connections with the Oxford Martin School Ethical Web and Data Architecture (EWADA) project.In this research project, we have the following potential research questions:How do current users perceive the concept of data autonomy within decentralised social media, and what are their needs for optimal support mechanisms?What are users' understandings and preferences concerning decentralised data sharing and management structures, and how do they envision their ideal data governance and social interaction paradigms?What features or designs resonate most with users when aiming for enhanced autonomy and control over their data within decentralised social media?The driving force behind these research questions is the urge to grasp how general users interpret and value data autonomy in the context of decentralised systems. This foundational knowledge will be critical in guiding the design of frameworks and tools that augment user control and data autonomy. The research process will necessitate delving into users' values regarding decentralised systems, while also comprehending their willingness to navigate the continuum between complete autonomy and ease-of-use.To summarise, this project endeavours to explore the realms of decentralised data management from multiple angles: data autonomy, data privacy, accountability, and data sharing. This investigation is novel as prior works have not rigorously studied user perceptions of decentralised systems centred around enhancing data autonomy. It is of paramount importance to ensure users not only have control over their personal data but also that the underlying systems supporting this autonomy are transparent, resilient, and user-friendly.