What Kind of Data Am I Creating—And What Happens to It?

Data is important for society and work, and provides lots of opportunities. But there are also reasons to think critically about data and its use to prevent our data from being misused or exploited at our expense.

This section has covered topics like the data iceberg, your digital shadow, GDPR, and ethics. All these are intended to provide a framework for critical thinking about these issues.

The data iceberg illustrates that just as communication between people involves more than just the words we use, our interaction with machines is more complex than you might think. Most data is created underneath the surface, so to speak,, without us noticing it.

We classify data into three categories: raw data, analytical data, and functional data. Both raw and analytical data can be visible or invisible, while functional data is hidden below the surface for the most part.

Much of this visible and invisible data relates directly or indirectly to you. Your actions, and the trails you leave behind, reflect to some degree who you are. This forms the basis of your digital shadow.

We have also looked at different aspects of digital privacy, GDPR, and digital ethics, what rights you have, and how you can best protect yourself and your privacy.

There is a lot to be aware of when talking about data. There are ethical and practical challenges, but also a sea of opportunities. It is these opportunities and challenges that we will delve into in the next section.