Is there an alternative?

by | Mar 11, 2021 | ICT4D |

is there an alternative?

I remember talking to an estate agent when we were looking to move house. Before they would let me view a house they wanted heaps of information about me, which I found ridiculous. However, when I refused to give them everything they wanted, I was informed that I would not be able to view the house.

The same is often true in many businesses and also in aid. Give us your data in exchange for what you want. In aid, one of the fundamental ethical questions this raises and needs to be discussed more is ‘what if they say no?’ What if the people we seek to serve do not want to give us their data?

Is there an alternative? As we go digital more and more, are we able to uphold our imperative of giving aid to those who need it? Or are we only giving to those who give us their data?

Fundamentally, it raises the question of what rights does the beneficiary have in relation to us when it comes to digital registration? 

Just like surveillance, we need to be talking about this much more.

The choice is up to us.

Photo by Clay Banks

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