As technology embeds itself in almost every aspect of life, companies and government bodies are increasingly acquiring a wealth of data about us. While this information can be used for public good, it it also gives powerful entities the ability to profile, manipulate, and discriminate against individuals on the basis of sensitive information. Inferences based on people’s personal data or flawed algorithms can lead to severe consequences like unfounded job rejections, the denial of bank loans, or failed housing applications.
Local authorities and Councillors handle large amounts of sensitive personal data throughout the course of their work - it is imperative that they are properly collecting and processing this information. Additionally, many councils have moved to digitise their services, and a recent report by Brave revealed extensive extraction of sensitive data by third party companies embedded on local council websites.
Writing to your Councillor and asking them to ensure your local authority is not contributing to data discrimination is a way to advocate for fair and equal treatment for all individuals in your community.
It is important to address data discrimination because it can have significant negative impacts on individuals and can contribute to systemic inequalities. By writing to your councillor, you are taking a proactive step to ensure that your community is a fair and just place for all residents.
We suggest you write to your Councillor using your own words but we have provided a model email in the form that you can edit if you like.
