Digital Charter (UK0091)

• Digital Charter (August 1, 2020)

Objective
To work with Civil Society, including through the Open Government Network,
to develop the Digital Charter incorporating the views and concerns of the
citizens. We will ensure to include under-represented groups in the process.
We will leverage the peer network of the Open Government Partnership to
build international dialogue in support of the aims of the Charter.
We will ensure that principles of openness and citizen participation are at the
core of the operation of the new Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation, which
will advise the government and regulators on the implications of new
data-driven technologies, including AI.
We will also ensure that the Government’s National Data Strategy is developed
in an inclusive and participatory manner and informed by a robust ongoing
dialogue with a diverse range of voices from business, third sector, civil society
and data users. In relation to the Government’s own use of data, we will
maximise its use and value to build and support a strong data economy, while
ensuring that we maintain the public trust.
We will undertake a review of the government open data, including the
challenges and barriers to publishing in a machine-readable and structured
format, and identifying datasets that could offer more value if improved. In
order to address these issues and improve open data within the government
overall, DCMS will develop a strategic approach for future action.

What is the public problem that the commitment will address?
Technological developments and data-driven innovations are causing
fundamental changes to the way we live and work around the world.
Rather than just adapting to these changes, it is vital for the UK to become a
frontrunner in introducing new technologies and setting regulatory norms for
technological developments such as the Internet of Things, Artificial
Intelligence, and Blockchain. We must stimulate innovation and growth while
ensuring that the new tools are harnessed to deliver maximum public good and
leave no one behind.
Technology can act as an enabler for social good and community cohesion. For
instance, communities are using social networks such as Facebook and
WhatsApp to connect those in need to local support. Similarly, crowdfunding
sites create a new fundraising route for charities and social enterprises. Digital
platforms can also serve as a powerful tool for the under-represented groups
to organise themselves and ensure their voices are heard.
However, new technologies also bring new risks and challenges. For instance,
the Internet can be used to spread terrorist content or as a tool for abuse and
bullying. It can undermine civil discourse, credible news, and intellectual
property rights. Such trends are deeply concerning and can hinder the pursuit
of Open Government reform due to their negative influence on the levels of
public trust.
The Digital Charter is our response: a rolling programme of work to agree
norms and rules for the online world and put them into practice. Through the
Charter we aim to increase public confidence and trust in new technologies,
and create the best possible basis on which the digital economy can thrive.
Due to the fast pace of technological change, it is essential to create flexible,
open, inclusive structures for the citizens to engage in a dialogue with the
government, civil society, academic experts, and businesses.

How will the commitment contribute to solve the public problem?
Because of the speed at which technology is developed and the cross-border
nature of data-driven technologies, there is a need to develop new
mechanisms for building an open dialogue and the principles of collaboration
and inclusivity into the Government’s policy development and delivery
approach.
This commitment will inform the Government’s Digital Charter and National
Data Strategy by strengthening the mechanisms of participation and
collaboration. We will continue to develop these policies in a collaborative and
open way, making it as easy as possible for citizens and businesses to give us
their views.

Lead implementing organisation
DCMS

Timeline
November 2018 - ongoing

OGP values
Civic participation, Public Accountability

Other actors involved - government
Cabinet Office, Government Digital Service

Other actors involved - CSOs, private sector, working groups, multilaterals
etc
Open Data Institute, Open Rights Group

Verifiable and measurable milestones to fulfil the
commitment

Ensure that principles of openness and civic
participation are built into the operation of the new
Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation.

Further develop and maintain an open dialogue with
data users and civil society to support the development
of the Government’s National Data Strategy.

Review of HMG’s Open Data publication, which will
identify the key challenges and opportunities of
publishing more in machine-readable, standard, openly
licenced formats, and set out measures to address this.

2. Public participation

Main Objective

“To work with Civil Society, including through the Open Government Network, to develop the Digital Charter incorporating the views and concerns of the citizens. We will ensure to include under-represented groups in the process.

We will leverage the peer network of the Open Government Partnership to build international dialogue in support of the aims of the Charter.

We will ensure that principles of openness and citizen participation are at the core of the operation of the new Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation, which will advise the government and regulators on the implications of new data-driven technologies, including AI.

We will also ensure that the Government’s National Data Strategy is developed in an inclusive and participatory manner and informed by a robust ongoing dialogue with a diverse range of voices from business, third sector, civil society and data users. In relation to the Government’s own use of data, we will maximise its use and value to build and support a strong data economy, while ensuring that we maintain the public trust.

We will undertake a review of the government open data, including the challenges and barriers to publishing in a machine-readable and structured format, and identifying datasets that could offer more value if improved. In order to address these issues and improve open data within the government overall, DCMS will develop a strategic approach for future action.”

Milestones

1. Ensure that principles of openness and civic participation are built into the operation of the new Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation.
2. Further develop and maintain an open dialogue with data users and civil society to support the development of the Government’s National Data Strategy.
3. Review of HMG’s Open Data publication, which will identify the key challenges and opportunities of publishing more in machine-readable, standard, openly licenced formats, and set out measures to address this.

Editorial Note: For the complete text of this commitment, please see the United Kingdom’s action plan at https://bit.ly/2YPqNoV.

Commitment Analysis

This commitment aims to improve public trust in the government’s data-focused work, in particular through the Digital Charter, the Centre for Data Ethics and AI (CDEAI) and the National Data Strategy. According to the government Policy Lab, the government included this commitment in the action plan to ensure that the public is aware of the guiding operational principles behind data-focused work and can influence the content. The commitment will facilitate the participation of data users and CSOs, so they can provide input into digital policy. It will also review how that input might be integrated into the government’s work in publishing more data.

This commitment builds on activities conducted for commitments 10 and 11 from the UK’s third action plan (2016-2018), which aimed to improve and deepen engagement with civil society and expert networks in open data. It also involves initiatives that were already planned or ongoing at the time the current action plan was finalised, such as the Digital Charter and National Data Strategy. The new activities included in the action plan centre on facilitating public and civil society participation in the development of the new CDEAI and the government’s National Data Strategy. [5] The commitment is relevant to the OGP value of civic participation due to the focus on open dialogue with data users and civil society (as well as “under-represented groups”) in developing the National Data Strategy. It is also relevant to access to information, as the National Data Strategy and Digital Charter aim to ensure data is processed in a timely and efficient manner.

The commitment does not explain how the envisioned participation would directly influence the government’s programme of work in practice. For example, it is not clear how the government will “build in” the principles of openness and civic participation into the CDEAI, nor how it will carry out the open dialogue with data users and civil society to support the National Data Strategy’s development. In addition, the National Data Strategy and Digital Charter could become quickly outdated and may not meaningfully improve either public participation or increase data disclosure. This is because the new entity CDEAI is composed of senior professionals in the area and does not demonstrate a clear strategy for reaching out beyond professionally interested actors. According to a representative of the Open Data Institute, this commitment could increase public engagement in the government’s digital work on data rights and ethics. [6] However, it is difficult to assess how this participation will achieve the commitment’s underlining aim of increasing public trust in new technologies and ensuring digital policies are created and implemented in an inclusive manner.

The IRM recommends the government and civil society revisit the milestones and be more explicit about how public participation could lead to real change in the programme of work planned. This would have been most useful in the context of the development of the National Data Strategy, which was published on 9 September 2020, and includes consideration of the use of data in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a publicly extended invitation to comment on the strategy until 2 December 2020. [7]

Commitment 2. Public participation

Substantial

This commitment aimed to improve public trust in the government’s data-focused work, through the Digital Charter, the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation (CDEI) and the National Data Strategy (NDS). It called for facilitating public and civil society participation in the development of the new CDEI and the National Data Strategy.

The first milestone called for ensuring that the principles of openness and civic participation are built into the operation of the CDEI. The CDEI uses a range of methodologies, including survey research and focus groups, to build a deeper understanding of public attitudes towards the use of data and artificial intelligence governance. ^[19] The CDEI also has an advisory board of experts from industry, academia and civil society who support the CDEI’s projects and help shape its work.

For the second milestone, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) developed the NDS in September 2020. ^[20] According to the draft self-assessment, the DCMS developed the NDS “with a range of stakeholders from across the data ecosystem, within and outside of government”. DCMS opened the NDS for public consultation from September to December 2020 and published its response to the consultation in May 2021. ^[21] DCMS also launched the NDS Forum to help shape the strategy’s implementation and future policy development. According to the DCMS website, 40 events have been convened with over 200 organizations participating. ^[22] DCMS also shares policy updates related to the NDS via a monthly newsletter and regular blog posts.

The third milestone aimed to review HMG’s Open Data publication to identify key challenges and opportunities of publishing more in machine-readable, standard, openly licensed formats. According to the draft self-assessment report, this activity was delayed due to the pandemic, but the values of open data were reiterated in the NDS.