For the processing of data and their subsequent dissemination, ethical issues governing research and the processing of confidential data must be taken into account. Even when data are processed so that sensitive or confidential data do not appear, it is also considered ethical to inform about the use and destination of the data.
You can consult the Research and Teaching Ethics Committee of the UDC.
Other links of interest:
Ethics. H2020 online manual. European Commission
Legal and ethical issues. UK Data archive
To mitigate the risks involved in the collection and processing of massive personal data, it is highly recommended to process and manage sensitive data. This process allows for the identification and concealment of sensitive information, enabling its disclosure without violating the data protection rights of individuals and organisations that may be referenced.
In research data management, it is crucial to Anonymise personal data. OpenAIRE recommends using the Amnesia data anonymisation tool to remove all identifying information (such as names, postcodes, and dates of birth) from the data.
The objective of anonymisation is to enable data sharing without compromising user privacy and to prevent users from being recognised or making inferences about specific individuals.
Anonymisation or pseudonymisation will be necessary when:
If you want to know more, you can consult this guide and its associated tool to anonymise data:
In order to facilitate the re-use of the data and to comply with the R (Reusable) of the FAIR Principles, it is essential that others are aware of the terms of use of the database and the content of the data.
Creative Commons 4.0 licences can be used to indicate permitted uses. For open research data, CC0 and CC-BY licences are recommended. Data-specific licences such as the Open Data Commons can also be used.
It is important to note that, depending on the research project and according to the funding agency of the project, it might be necessary to apply an embargo period during which the data cannot be made accessible for the required time. Or, on the other hand, the agency may explicitly state the mandatory time limits for public dissemination and under what terms.
Also in line with the general idea "As open as possible, as closed as necessary" included in the Guidelines on FAIR Data Management in Horizon 2020, there are situations that justify not making research data openly available, such as: existence of confidentiality clauses, possibility of commercial or industrial exploitation, etc.
Do you need help selecting the right licence?
You can use the following tools:
Software and code licences:
Toolkit de OpenAIRE to choose the appropriate licence.
More information on how to license research data can be found in the guide "How to License Research Data".