Data Governance and Local Interests

Robust data governance is crucial for responsible transnational management of data systems (DS) to mitigate risks, achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs), and support digital transformation (DX). However, aligning global data governance approaches with national priorities is a complex task that impacts economic policies, national security, and international relations, among other areas. Balancing data protection with the promotion of data innovations and socioeconomic growth presents a significant challenge. Stakeholders, including government entities, businesses, academia, and civil society, have diverse perspectives on data governance. The workshop aims to gather input from these stakeholders to understand their views and justifications on various approaches to DS governance from political, ethical, socioeconomic, and other perspectives. By emphasizing local interests, multistakeholder viewpoints, human rights, data ethics, and the sociotechnical dynamics of DX, key experts from the co-organizing institutions will facilitate a thorough exploration of critical policy issues, ethical considerations, and the need to reform socioeconomic structures essential for shaping inclusive and trustworthy transnational DS. The workshop seeks to advance understanding and inform effective data governance strategies by revealing stakeholder interests, determining priorities, and exploring methods for reconciling conflicting interests.

Objectives for the participants

• Gain insights into the importance of multiple stakeholders and localized approaches in governing transnational DS.
• Explore the role of human rights ethics as a global standard for fostering innovation and diversity in multilateral global governance for inclusive DX.
• Identify strategies for improving multistakeholder collaboration and integrating localized perspectives into multilateral governance frameworks for DS.
• Discuss challenges and opportunities in balancing global interconnectedness, regional diversity, and local nuances for human-centred and ethical DX.
• Share best practices and lessons learned from diverse contexts while acknowledging how nuances such as endowments, capabilities, and political economy dynamics impact DS.
• Identify possible approaches to conciliate the interests of different stakeholders in data governance