Putting People on the Map: Protecting Confidentiality with Linked Social-Spatial Data

Precise, accurate spatial information linked to social and behavioral data is revolutionizing social science by opening new questions for investigation and improving understanding of human behavior in its environmental context. At the same time, precise spatial data make it more likely that individuals can be identified, breaching the promise of confidentiality made when the data were collected. Because norms of science and government agencies favor open access to all scientific data, the tension between the benefits of open access and the risks associated with potential breach of confidentiality pose significant challenges to researchers, research sponsors, scientific institutions, and data archivists. Putting People on the Map finds that several technical approaches for making data available while limiting risk have potential, but none is adequate on its own or in combination. This book offers recommendations for education, training, research, and practice to researchers, professional societies, federal agencies, institutional review boards, and data stewards. Table of ContentsFront MatterExecutive Summary1 Linked Social-Spatial Data: Promises and Challenges2 Legal, Ethical, and Statistical Issues in Protecting Confidentiality3 Meeting the Challenges4 The Tradeoff: Confidentiality Versus AccessReferencesAppendix A: Privacy for Research DataAppendix B: Ethical Issues Related to Linked Social-Spatial DataBiographical Sketches for Panel Members and Staff