Data curation as collective action during COVID‐19

Abstract

In this commentary, the authors, an international group data curation researchers and educators, reflect on some of the challenges and opportunities for data curation in the wake of the COVID‐19 pandemic. We focus on some topics of particular interest to the information science community: data infrastructures for scholarly communication and research, the politicization of data curation and visualization for public‐facing “dashboards,” and human subjects research and policies. We conclude with some areas of opportunity and need, including broader and richer data curation education in the information schools, the establishment of better data management policy implementations by research funders, the award of formal academic credit for data curation activities and data sharing, and engagement in cooperative action around data ethics and security.

Contact Tracing Apps: Lessons Learned on Privacy, Autonomy, and the Need for Detailed and Thoughtful Implementation

“…Prior to launch, Irish health officials requested feedback from academic researchers and data and visualization experts as well as civil societies to evaluate the app, which has been noted as a potential source for public trust and perceived efficacy [ 64 , 65 ]. According to the prerelease report card issued by the Irish Council for Civil Liberties and Digital Rights Ireland, however, there were concerns regarding app privacy and security structure [ 64 ].…”

An integrative framework of information as both objective and subjective

“…A realisation of the symbolic power is not necessarily an immediate property of the information object but is something that emerges as an outcome of collective interpretation and sensemaking. This deeper interpretive layer is shared by a collective understanding that builds on the objective dimension, and it extends the generativity of information in different contexts [65]. It, therefore, indicates the dynamism inherent in the concept of information.…”

The non-linear impact of data handling on network diffusion models

“…Kraemer et al 25 argue for the necessity of global data curation and standardization in the handling of disease outbreaks. Shankar et al 26 describe the need for cooperation, communication of data to the public, data privacy, and preparing for the future. Costa-Santos et al 27 analyze a Portuguese surveillance dataset and identify numerous data quality concerns, and the need for improvement in data management processes.…”

“…Shankar et al. 26 describe the need for cooperation, communication of data to the public, data privacy, and preparing for the future. Costa-Santos et al.…”