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Guiding Questions for Creating a Data Sharing Protocol

This information is adapted from “Technocultural Data Protocols” from Foster & Schonwetter 2024, produced for the Tenure Facility.1

❓ Guiding Questions​

Ownership and Control​

  • Who holds ownership and control over the database platform?
  • Where is the data stored, and who owns the servers?
  • What data privacy and management protocols are in place?
  • How does the platform secure Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) for data use?
  • Are community members meaningfully involved in decisions around data collection and storage?

Data Usage and Audience​

  • Who will access the data and maps? (General public, community members, NGOs, or governments)
  • How will the data be used? (Land negotiation, project visibility, community planning)

Data Protection and Security​

  • Does the data storage platform align with the community’s values and governance protocols?
  • What steps protect against cybersecurity threats and unauthorized data use?

Cultural Sensitivity and Equity​

  • Does the platform consider issues of gender equity in community mapping?
  • Are Indigenous Peoples’ narratives and priorities preserved in data representation?

Data Evolution and Future Use​

  • How can the data be updated, and what protocols enable communities to change permissions?
  • What happens to the data if the managing organization dissolves?

  • Authority for Permission
    Identify who in the community has the authority to grant permissions for data sharing.

  • Data Sharing Scope
    Specify what data can and cannot be shared.

  • Community Benefits
    Outline the benefits for the community in sharing this data.

  • Risk Awareness
    Discuss and document potential risks to the community related to data sharing.

  • Data Ownership
    Confirm ownership of the data and any transfer of rights, if applicable.

  • Data Recipients
    Define who can access the data and for what specific purposes.

  • Data Security
    Specify how and where the data will be securely stored and managed.

  • Post-Project Data Management
    Detail what happens to the data once the project concludes.

  • Data Breach Response
    Outline response protocols in case of a data breach or security threat.

  • Organization Dissolution
    Define protocols for data management if the third-party organization dissolves.

  • Permission Changes
    Specify measures to allow the community to change or withdraw permissions at any time.

Footnotes​

  1. Foster, L, Schonwetter, T. "Technocultural Data Protocols: Safeguarding Local Community and Indigenous Peoples’ Rights to Data Sovereignty." Tenure Facility. (2024) https://view.publitas.com/the-tenure-facility/technocultural-data-protocols-march-2024/ ↩