Community-driven data spaces

This paper will review the literature on the emerging phenomenon of CDS (community-driven spaces) or PDS (Personal Data Spaces), to discuss if – and if so, on what terms CDS/PDS is an alternative or a supplement to the current dominant digitalization of the public sector (Pedersen & Wilkinson 2019; Margetts & Donahue 2019). Supported by big tech companies state agencies increasingly engage in surveillance and data-tracking, on behalf of privacy concerns. This development is set to continue as AI and intelligent feedback systems are expected to structure the state-citizen relations in the coming decades (Zuboff, 2019). The research question is: In what way does the current literature provide insight in the conditions and possibilities for CDS/PDS to become an alternative or a supplement to the current dominant digitalization of the public sector? Community driven data spaces is presented as a promising digital tool (Fallatah et al 2023; Zichichi et al 2022: Lehtiniemi, 2017; Poikola, Kuikkaniemi, & Honko, 2014). With CDS/PDS citizens can potentially take back control of their personal data. They decide where, when and with whom they share their personal data. Storing collective collected data also means storing possibilities for collective action. CDS encompass possibilities of graphic presentations of meta-data sets, control of data analytics and predictions, negotiated decisions on the content of data sets among the users, feedback loops that initiate reconsideration among users, granting trusted partners access, as well as informed decisions on behavior modification also known as nudging. These are all features that can potentially be used for deliberative purposes. There are profound democratic perspectives for citizens in sharing meta-data, and to use this data to solve collective problems. The issue of community-driven data becomes highly relevant as welfare states experience a decrease in legitimacy from both affluent groups and from more marginalized groups of citizens. This is because digitalization of welfare services tends to dehumanize, depersonalize, and push administrative burdens on citizens. Affluent citizens can increasingly buy market-based welfare services (eldercare, health, education etc.), but marginalized citizens only option may be to deselect welfare services. Existing PDS, like Cozy Cloud, Meeco, or OpenPDS are often organized as cloud services. Their ambition is to become interveners in the surveillance capitalism (Haberer 2021; Lehtiniemi, 2017). However, PDS do not have a deliberation purpose. So far storing data has meant commercial opportunities. So, does CDS/PDS have the potential to change the role of citizens from passive user to active citizens? Can it be a tool to avoid a digital underclass, since it can empower marginalized groups? Does it provide means and measures for groups to shape digital citizenship, independent from the state?