This document is the ethical and privacy impact assessment (E/PIA) report for the iTRACK project (D3.1). The development and deployment of a technology such as the iTRACK system may have various consequences, including those related to privacy and ethics. The purpose of an E/PIA is to assess the risks that the project technology poses for privacy and ethics and propose how to mitigate these risks. The analysis carried out in the E/PIA, will in turn inform the technology development. In other words the E/PIA fills a knowledge vacuum on how the relevant technology should be developed so as to ensure it abides by, and protects, ethics and privacy. By carrying out the E/PIA specifically for iTRACK we are considering privacy and ethics in the relevant context; namely we are taking into account the nature of the situation and context in which the technology will be used as well as the technology itself.
The report is a result of desk-based research, interviews with those responsible for the development of the technology and a one day interactive workshop for the consortium, including the end users (WFP) and an ethics and privacy expert. The aim of the interviews was to map the information flows. The aim of the workshop was to identify risks related to the system (e.g., legal, social and ethical), assess those risks according to likelihood and severity and discuss possible solutions to risks in order to avoid, minimise, transfer or share risks. The report sets out a comprehensive summary of the privacy and ethical impact assessment process conducted for the project, including a set of initial recommendations. The project will revisit the E/PIA as the technology is developed and undergoes changes, and/or as new risks arise and become apparent. To that end the iTRACK project includes related tasks of ethical and privacy monitoring (Task 3.3) as well as a consideration of the socio-cultural considerations that should be taken into account in the future development and planned exploitation of the iTRACK system (Task 3.2).
The document is public but it is intended to also assist the consortium partners in the development and delivery of the iTRACK (Integrated system for real-time TRACKing and collective intelligence in civilian humanitarian missions) system. The box below details the task description as contained in the projects document of work.
