Data Ethics Framework

Using ethical data is key when keeping the user at the centre of decision-making. The UK Government’s Data Ethics Framework offers a starting point for applying consistent and flexible ethical data principles for various situations.

You can use it when creating digital services to influence decisions and show how you’re complying with key legislation.

The framework shows how to use data appropriately and responsibly in government and the wider public sector. It can help public servants understand ethical considerations, address these in their projects, and encourage responsible innovation.

The framework includes ‘overarching principles’ and ‘specific actions’ to guide you through the process and help you understand the steps you need to take to use data ethically and responsibly.

It includes questions to check your planned activities against these principles:

• transparency
• accountability
• fairness

It lists specific activities you can score from 0 to 5 to see where your organisation is doing well and where it can improve. 

The framework can be flexible, so that different projects and services can use it based on their needs. 

The framework recommends activities that align with existing data protection and governance measures, bringing these closer to the start of the development process. 

By showing how biased data can continue to create inequalities, the framework supports the Future Generations Commissioner's well-being goal of creating ‘a more equal Wales’.

It also refers to the GDS service manual for details on user needs and points to the Centre for Digital Public Service’s (CDPS) resources, the Digital Service Standard for Wales, and the Welsh public sector data ethics landscape.

On this subject, the Digital Standards Working Group recommends that your products and services meet points 5 and 11 of the Digital Service Standard for Wales. This will ensure that everyone can use your service and that ethics, data and security are considered throughout.

As a public organisation that creates products and services using data, you should consider how the data you collect affects ethics and use the framework’s model to show this.

At CDPS, we expect teams who create products and services to explain how data ethics are being addressed and which framework they use.