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All glossary terms

Privacy & data

Data Ethics

Data ethics is the consideration of values and responsibilities involved in collecting, analyzing, sharing, and using information. It asks whether practices respect people, avoid unjustified harm, and align with stated purposes, alongside any applicable legal and technical requirements.

Also known as ethical data use.

Why it matters in practice

Ethical review can surface concerns that are not fully captured by a privacy notice or security control, such as unexpected reuse or uneven effects. Teams need to explain their values, involve relevant perspectives, and record tradeoffs. An ethical label is not a substitute for legal analysis or evidence that a practice is beneficial.

Example

Before reusing support conversations for analytics, a team considers user expectations, access boundaries, retention, and the value of the analysis.

Educational note

This definition is general information, not legal advice. It may omit facts that matter to a specific situation and does not establish or guarantee compliance.