The role of technology in governance: The example of Privacy Enhancing Technologies

Abstract

The collection of data, its analysis, and the publication of insights from data promise a range of benefits, but can carry risks for individuals and organizations. This paper sets out considerations regarding the potential role for technologies in governance of data use, and some key limitations. The paper examines the potential of Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs) to support organizations and institutions that handle data in governing data use, and considers their role based on their current state of development and the trajectory of technological development. This involves consideration both of how these technologies can potentially enable governments and others to unlock the value of data, and also recognition of both contingent and in principle limitations on the role of PETs in ensuring well-governed use of data.

Keywords

• data management and use
• differential privacy
• governance
• homomorphic encryption
• personal data stores
• Privacy Enhancing Technologies
• secure multi-party computation
• trusted execution environments