Societal and political implications of emerging digital technologies and big data

如今，数据处理公司面临着来自当局和用户的前所未有的审查。在剑桥分析（Cambridge Analytica）事件曝光后，英国数据监管机构ICO的调查发现，“对选民隐私的令人不安的漠视”在整个数据行业蔓延。下议院得出的结论是，目前的“形势不太可能改变”。即使是厌恶风险的投资者也同意这一点，因为科技股正在持续上涨。原因在于我们日常生活中无处不在、持续不断、显然不可逆转的数字设备融合。移动应用程序秘密地与第三方分享个人信息，而其他“智能设备”正在普及。这需要对当前的数据实践进行严格审查，并进行公正的制衡，而学术界可以提供这些。博士研究将作为牛津大学“以人为本的计算”小组的一部分进行。该小组旨在了解当前数字经济的挑战，以支持人类在21世纪的繁荣。更具体地说，该组织旨在告知和授权个人关于他们的日常使用技术。其中一个突出的例子是X-Ray，它是epsrc资助的SOCIAM项目开发的一个软件框架。该软件旨在发现隐藏的数据流流向世界各地的公司。X-Ray分析了近100万个安卓应用程序，发现大约90%的应用程序可以向bb0发送数据，40%的应用程序可以向Facebook发送数据。x射线项目将成为博士研究的起点，由于应用程序无处不在，它与当前社会有潜在的重大关联。随着欧盟数据保护条例（GDPR）的引入，数据保护领域最近获得了越来越多的突出和重要性。GDPR加强了个人的权利以及监管机构的权力。欧盟成员国的数据保护当局（dpa）现在可以对数据保护侵权行为处以高达2000万欧元或全球年营业额的4%（以较高者为准）的罚款。由于这些新的能力，数据保护研究可以深刻地改善个人的生活。博士研究将扩展X-Ray项目，增加自动化法律合规分析，并在法律和技术领域创建新工具。该研究方法的新颖之处在于将计算机科学、法律和政策制定相结合，特别是通过自动程序分析和机器学习分析GDPR违规行为。为了与研究小组的目标和EPSRC的研究主题“数字经济”保持一致，博士项目旨在提高个人对大规模数据收集影响的认识，并使个人能够在数据收集方面做出更有意义的选择。另一个目标是为当前和新兴数字技术的决策提供信息。该项目属于EPSRC数字经济研究领域。

Data-processing companies face unprecedented scrutiny these days, from both authorities and users. Following the Cambridge Analytica revelations, investigations by the UK data authority ICO identified "a disturbing disregard for voters' privacy" spread across the data industry. The House of Commons concluded that the current "situation is unlikely to change". Even risk-averse investors agree, with technology shares being continuously on the rise. The reason lies in the pervasive, ongoing, and apparently irreversible amalgamation of digital devices in our daily lives. Mobile applications secretly share personal information with third parties, whilst other "smart devices" are spreading. This necessitates rigorous scrutiny of current data practices and impartial checks and balances, which academia can provide.The PhD research will be conducted as part of the "Human-Centred Computing" group at the University of Oxford. This group seeks to understand the current challenges of the Digital Economy, so as to support human flourishing in the 21st century. More specifically, the group aims to inform and empower individuals with regards to their day-to-day use of technology. A prominent example of such is X-Ray, a software framework developed as part of the EPSRC-funded SOCIAM project. This software aims to uncover hidden data flows to companies all over the world. X-Ray analysed almost 1m Android apps, finding that roughly 90% of apps could send data to Google and 40% to Facebook. The X-Ray project will be the starting point of the PhD research, with potentially significant relevance for current society due to the ubiquity of apps.With the introduction of the EU Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the field of data protection has recently gained increased prominence and importance. The GDPR strengthens the rights of individuals as well as the powers of the regulating bodies. The data protection authorities (DPAs) of the EU member states can now impose penalties of up to 20m Euros or 4% of worldwide annual turnover (whichever is higher) for data protection infringements. Due to these new capabilities, data protection research can profoundly improve the lives of individuals.The PhD research will expand on the X-Ray project, to add automated legal compliance analysis, as well as create new tools in the realm of law and technology. The novelty of the research methodology lies in the combination of computer science, law, and policy-making, particularly through automated program analysis and machine learning analysis of GDPR violations.In alignment with the objectives of the research group and the EPSRC research theme Digital Economy, the PhD project seeks to raise awareness amongst individuals of the implications of large-scale data collection, and empower individuals to make more meaningful choices with regards to data collection. A further objective is informing policy-making regarding current and emerging digital technologies.This project falls within the EPSRC Digital Economy research area.