Data trusts: from theory to practice (Working Paper 1)

Data Trusts Initiative

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Data trusts: from theory to practice (Working Paper 1)

Data Trusts Initiative

, The Data Trusts Initiative , 2026.

Abstract

The challenge of data governance in the 21st century is to bridge aspirations to share data for personal or public benefit with concerns about the harms to individuals, communities and society that can emerge from data (mis)use. Current legislative frameworks already create a constellation of data rights to mitigate against these harms, but exercising these rights can be difficult, demanding time, resources and expertise that are out of reach for many. By empowering individuals to assert their data rights, data trusts offer a way for individuals and groups to influence how and why organisations are able to use data about them. However, despite much recent excitement surrounding the role data trusts could play in creating trustworthy data governance institutions, gaps in understanding about the form and function of these trusts remain.

A workshop convened by the Data Trusts Initiative on 26 November 2020 set out to explore the areas in which further work is needed to advance the development of data trusts, delineating the questions where interdisciplinary research can help make progress in establishing data trusts that respond to real-world challenges.

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Cite this Paper

BibTeX


@Misc{publications/data-trusts-from-theory-to-practice-working-paper-1,
  title = 	 {Data trusts: from theory to practice (Working Paper 1)},
  author = 	 {{Data Trusts Initiative}},
  year = 	 {2026},
  publisher =    {The Data Trusts Initiative},
  pdf = 	 {https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e3b09f0b754a35dcb4111ce/t/5fdb21f9537b3a6ff2315429/1608196603713/Working+Paper+1+-+data+trusts+-+from+theory+to+practice.pdf},
  url = 	 {/publications/data-trusts-from-theory-to-practice-working-paper-1.html},
  abstract = 	 {The challenge of data governance in the 21st century is to bridge aspirations
to share data for personal or public benefit with concerns about the harms to
individuals, communities and society that can emerge from data (mis)use.
Current legislative frameworks already create a constellation of data rights
to mitigate against these harms, but exercising these rights can be difficult,
demanding time, resources and expertise that are out of reach for many. By
empowering individuals to assert their data rights, data trusts offer a way
for individuals and groups to influence how and why organisations are able to
use data about them. However, despite much recent excitement surrounding the
role data trusts could play in creating trustworthy data governance
institutions, gaps in understanding about the form and function of these
trusts remain.

A workshop convened by the Data Trusts Initiative on 26 November
2020 set out to explore the areas in which further work is needed to
advance the development of data trusts, delineating the questions
where interdisciplinary research can help make progress in
establishing data trusts that respond to real-world challenges.
}
}

Endnote

%0 Generic
%T Data trusts: from theory to practice (Working Paper 1)
%A Data Trusts Initiative
%D 2026	
%F publications/data-trusts-from-theory-to-practice-working-paper-1
%I The Data Trusts Initiative
%U /publications/data-trusts-from-theory-to-practice-working-paper-1.html
%X The challenge of data governance in the 21st century is to bridge aspirations
to share data for personal or public benefit with concerns about the harms to
individuals, communities and society that can emerge from data (mis)use.
Current legislative frameworks already create a constellation of data rights
to mitigate against these harms, but exercising these rights can be difficult,
demanding time, resources and expertise that are out of reach for many. By
empowering individuals to assert their data rights, data trusts offer a way
for individuals and groups to influence how and why organisations are able to
use data about them. However, despite much recent excitement surrounding the
role data trusts could play in creating trustworthy data governance
institutions, gaps in understanding about the form and function of these
trusts remain.

A workshop convened by the Data Trusts Initiative on 26 November
2020 set out to explore the areas in which further work is needed to
advance the development of data trusts, delineating the questions
where interdisciplinary research can help make progress in
establishing data trusts that respond to real-world challenges.

RIS


TY  - GEN
TI  - Data trusts: from theory to practice (Working Paper 1)
AU  - Data Trusts Initiative
DA  - 2026/09/29	
ID  - publications/data-trusts-from-theory-to-practice-working-paper-1
PB  - The Data Trusts Initiative
L1  - https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e3b09f0b754a35dcb4111ce/t/5fdb21f9537b3a6ff2315429/1608196603713/Working+Paper+1+-+data+trusts+-+from+theory+to+practice.pdf
UR  - /publications/data-trusts-from-theory-to-practice-working-paper-1.html
AB  - The challenge of data governance in the 21st century is to bridge aspirations
to share data for personal or public benefit with concerns about the harms to
individuals, communities and society that can emerge from data (mis)use.
Current legislative frameworks already create a constellation of data rights
to mitigate against these harms, but exercising these rights can be difficult,
demanding time, resources and expertise that are out of reach for many. By
empowering individuals to assert their data rights, data trusts offer a way
for individuals and groups to influence how and why organisations are able to
use data about them. However, despite much recent excitement surrounding the
role data trusts could play in creating trustworthy data governance
institutions, gaps in understanding about the form and function of these
trusts remain.

A workshop convened by the Data Trusts Initiative on 26 November
2020 set out to explore the areas in which further work is needed to
advance the development of data trusts, delineating the questions
where interdisciplinary research can help make progress in
establishing data trusts that respond to real-world challenges.

ER  -

APA


Data Trusts Initiative. (2026). Data trusts: from theory to practice (Working Paper 1).  Available from /publications/data-trusts-from-theory-to-practice-working-paper-1.html.

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