SMARTPHONE DATA AND RESEARCHCellular network providers collect a wide range of information from smartphones. This includes data about where the phones are located using the Global Positioning System (GPS). They use this information for different reasons, such as making sure their networks work well and sending targeted advertisements to users.
When they collect GPS location data, they take steps to make sure it can't be linked back to specific individuals. This process is called aggregation and de-identification, and it results in what's known as Mobility Data. For the past decade or so, people have been worried about privacy and consent when it comes to collecting and using data from smartphones. Many are concerned about who has access to this information and what they might do with it. These concerns have become even more significant during the pandemic, with governments using smartphone data to track the spread of the virus and enforce lockdown measures. Despite these concerns, smartphone data has also opened up new opportunities for researchers. By analyzing how people move and behave based on their smartphone activity, researchers can learn valuable insights about population behavior as a whole. This has sparked a need for more public discussion and awareness about the implications of using smartphone data in various ways. |
Come Join The Discussion!Public Health Agency of Canada used mobility data to analyze population movement during the pandemic. While this is providing exciting new opportunities for public health research, discussions concerning the use of these data sources need to take place with the input of the general public. While "mobility data" does not identify each cellphone user, all cellphone users' information are being collected for marketing and other purposes.
We want to start this important conversation with the residents of Kingston, Ontario. This Café is an invitation and education session to inform the community on privacy and consent practices in research using smartphone data and provide them with an opportunity to discuss with expert panelists regarding their perceptions and concerns. |
Event Panelists
Christopher Allison
Chief Data Officer, Public Health Agency of Canada
Chief Data Officer, Public Health Agency of Canada
Sahar Saeed, PhD.
Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University
Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University
Martin French, PhD.
Associate Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Concordia University
Associate Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Concordia University