{"id":167,"date":"2020-11-18T16:06:51","date_gmt":"2020-11-18T16:06:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/generic.wordpress.soton.ac.uk\/parentdata\/?p=167"},"modified":"2020-11-18T16:06:54","modified_gmt":"2020-11-18T16:06:54","slug":"a-murky-picture-who-uses-data-linkage-and-predictive-analytics-to-intervene-in-families-lives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/generic.wordpress.soton.ac.uk\/parentdata\/2020\/11\/18\/a-murky-picture-who-uses-data-linkage-and-predictive-analytics-to-intervene-in-families-lives\/","title":{"rendered":"A murky picture \u2013 who uses data linkage and predictive analytics to intervene in families\u2019 lives?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In the first of a series of blogs discussing key issues and challenges that arise from our project, Dr Sarah Gorin discusses the problems encountered by our team as we try to find out which local authorities in the UK are using data linkage and predictive analytics to help them make decisions about whether to intervene in the lives of families.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As background context to our project, it seemed\nimportant to establish how many local authorities are using data linkage and\npredictive analytics with personal data about families and in what ways. To us\nthis seemed a straightforward question, and yet it has been surprisingly hard\nto gain an accurate picture. Six months into our project and we are still\nstruggling to find out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In order to get some answers, we have been reaching\nout to other interested parties and have had numerous people get in touch with us\ntoo: from academic research centres, local authorities, independent foundation\nresearch bodies, to government-initiated research and evaluation centres.  Even government linked initiatives are\nfinding this difficult, not just us academic outsiders! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So what are the issues that have been making this so\ndifficult for us and others? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

No centralised system of recording<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest problems is finding information. There is currently no centralised way that local authorities routinely record their use of personal data about families for data linkage or predictive analytics. In 2018, the Guardian highlighted the development of the use of predictive analytics in child safeguarding and the associated concerns about ethics and data privacy<\/a>. They wrote: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is no national oversight of predictive analytics systems by central government, resulting in vastly different approaches to transparency by different authorities.\u201d <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

This means that it is very difficult for anyone to\nfind out relevant information about what is being done in their own or other\nlocal authorities. Not only does this have ethical implications in terms of the\ntransparency, openness and accountability of local authorities but also more\nimportantly, means that families who experience interventions by services are\nunlikely to know how their data has been handled and what criteria has been\nused to identify them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In several European cities they are trialling the use of a public register for mandatory reporting of the use of algorithmic decision-making systems. The best way to take this forward is being discussed here and in other countries.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pace of change<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Another issue is the pace of change. Searching the internet for information about which local authorities are linking families\u2019 personal data and using it for predictive analytics is complicated by the lack of one common language to describe the issues. A myriad of terms are being used and they change over time\u2026\u2018data linkage\u2019; \u2018data warehousing\u2019; \u2018risk or predictive analytics\u2019; \u2018artificial intelligence\u2019 (AI); \u2018machine learning\u2019; \u2018predictive algorithms\u2019; \u2018algorithmic or automated decision-making\u2019 to name but a few. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The speed of change also means that whilst some local\nauthorities who were developing systems several years ago, may have cancelled\nor paused their use of predictive analytics, others may have started to develop\nit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Cardiff University Data Justice Lab in partnership\nwith the Carnegie UK Trust are undertaking a project <\/a>to map where\nand why government departments and agencies in\nEurope, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States have decided to\npause or cancel their use of algorithmic and automated decision support\nsystems. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

GDPR and the variation in the way in which it is being interpreted may be another significant problem that is preventing us getting to grips with what is going on. Under GDPR, individuals have the right to be informed about<\/a>: <\/p>\n\n\n\n