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Data Privacy Lab announces visualization contest

The Data Privacy Lab

2 min read

The Data Privacy Lab at Harvard University’s Institute for Quantitative Social Science is pleased to announce the theDataMap Visualization Contest. The contest challenges participants to use data from the Lab’s online portal to show how personal medical and mobile data is shared between companies, promoting awareness of data privacy issues through creative and innovative visualizations.

The Lab’s online portal, theDataMap, was launched in 2012 and is led by Dr. Latanya Sweeney, professor of government and technology in residence at Harvard University. Currently,theDataMap shows “all the places your personal data really goes.” Its goal is to produce a detailed description of personal data flows, from health data to mobile app data. A comprehensive data map encourages researchers to find new data sources, educates the public, and informs policymakers on data sharing practices so society can act responsibly to maximize data sharing while minimizing harm to patients and consumers.

The idea for the contest was a 2016 Knight News Challenge on Data winner and is funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

Contestants can use theDataMap’s data set to create new and innovative visualizations that show how medical data sharing greatly impacts a single person, their families, and communities. Entries will be judged on originality, accessibility, interactivity, and insightfulness. All members of the general public are encouraged to enter, including students, academics, data scientists, data journalists, and graphic designers. Group submissions are welcome with no more than three people per group.

Winners will receive a free trip to present their creative data visualizations at the Patient Privacy Rights (PPR) Foundation’s 2019 annual summit in Washington, D.C. The winners will also receive prestigious recognition at the PPR ceremony dinner and gala.

All entries must be completed and submitted via an online form by Dec. 28 at 11:59 PM EST. Contest winners will be announced on Jan. 7.

For more information, please contact Ji Su Yoo directly at jisuyoo@fas.harvard.edu.