At Mozilla, we aim to give users meaningful control over their own data, to build more trustworthy AI and a healthy internet for all. Data stewardship is a relatively new term for those handling personal data, with the intention of giving control of that data to the owner. Read about what data stewardship is and why it’s important to us to live healthy and safe digital lives.

Data stewardship shouldn’t be left to a few, but rather should include those most affected. Work your way through this data stewardship reading list to explore what the future of your data could look like if data stewardship were the norm – and what it may look like if it isn’t. This data stewardship reading list may be the most important reading list you come across this year. Bookmark it and share with your friends.

The Data Stewardship Reading List

Data Brokers Are Cruising for a Bruising | WIRED

Mozilla Fellow Anouk Ruhaak writes about unscrupulous data brokers, a big problem in the data supply chain. She also proposes solutions: “We could hold data brokers responsible for any breaches involving data sold by them,” Anouk writes. She adds: “What if data brokers never held data in the first place? Data could instead be held by a trust or bank that specializes in keeping it safe.”

To Fix the Web, Give it Back to the Users | Fast Company

Mozilla Fellow Richard Whitt imagines a future where AI and other computational tools serve individual users, not powerful incumbent institutions. He writes: “What if users had the same power as platforms? What if users had a whole layer advocating for them — an arsenal of sophisticated tools to swat away invasive ads, safeguard their personal data, and negotiate fiercely with platforms?” Richard has written extensively about trustworthy human and virtual agents. Read more of his writing about Personal AIs on Medium, check out his new paper on digital trustmediaries, and learn more about his GLIAnet Project.

LISTEN: On Data and Exploitation | MozFest 2019 talk

At MozFest 2019, Katarzyna Szymielewicz spoke about the troubling state of data and exploitation on today’s internet. Katarzyna Szymielewicz is a lawyer and activist specializing in human rights and technology. She is Co-Founder and President of Panoptykon Foundation, a Polish NGO defending human rights in today’s surveillance society.

LISTEN: Governing AI | MozFest 2019 panel

At MozFest 2019, AI experts discussed how we can create policies that keep companies accountable and enshrine human rights in automated systems. Hear from Gry Hasselbalch (DataEthics), Fanny Hidvegi (Access Now), Matthias Spielkamp (Algorithm Watch), and Philip Dawson (Element AI).

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