DataEthics

DataEthics (formally Dataetisk Tænkehandletank, also styled DataEthics.eu) is a Danish not-for-profit, politically independent ThinkDoTank established in August 2015 by a group of female leaders in data and AI ethics. It describes itself as a European non-profit organisation with global outreach whose aim is to ensure a human-centric approach to data systems and development through academic research and collaboration, awareness raising, advocacy and constructive social change initiatives. Its stated purpose is to safeguard human value in a world of data, grounded in a European legal and value-based framework, with individual citizen control at the centre. The organisation was created in reaction to a data-driven online development characterised by invisible data processing, where people have no control or insight into the interests behind it, no knowledge of how their data is used and what consequences this has for them as individuals. DataEthics frames this as an increasing data asymmetry and information power imbalance that is, in essence, a democratic problem. Its mission is explicitly constructive and action-oriented, supporting knowledge exchange, creation and cooperation toward a sustainable and data-ethical future. DataEthics operates as a hybrid 'ThinkDoTank' — combining think-tank analysis with practical action. It maps and promotes alternative privacy tech and human-centric, ethical data-driven solutions; organises conferences; represents its positions in various EU and global initiatives; and produces content such as a newsletter and website alongside academic activities. It also publishes tools for digital sovereignty, including a list of mainly European and open-source-based digital tools, an AI readiness test and data ethics principles. Its research arm, DataEthics-Research/Academic, focuses on critical independent academic research with a trans-technical and sectoral focus on data technology and practices. Current research explorations include data ethics and socio-technical infrastructures of power, sustainability issues of data and AI, data ethics in public procurement of AI, and the human-centric approach to AI. The organisation collaborates with key academic and research actors on research, publications, conferences and education, and works with distinguished and affiliated scholars who are world experts in their fields. DataEthics is led by co-founders including Gry Hasselbalch (Academic Director), Pernille Tranberg (Advocacy & Communications Director) and Birgitte Kofod Olsen. It maintains a network of affiliated scholars from institutions such as the University of Amsterdam, Universidad de San Andrés, the University of Sydney, the Danish Institute of Human Rights, The Center for AI and Digital Policy, the European Commission, Brooklyn Law School, KU Leuven and the University of Bonn. As a not-for-profit, politically independent entity, it is privately organised and does not operate for commercial profit.

DataEthics was founded in August 2015 as a not-for-profit, politically independent ThinkDoTank based in Denmark with European and global outreach. It was established by a group of female leaders in data and AI ethics, including co-founders Gry Hasselbalch, Pernille Tranberg and Birgitte Kofod Olsen. The organisation was created in reaction to the data-driven online development of the time, which it characterised as involving invisible data processing where people have no control or insight into the interests behind it, no knowledge of how their data is used and what consequences this has for them as individuals. DataEthics framed this as an increasing data asymmetry and information power imbalance that is a democratic problem in essence. From its founding, DataEthics pursued a dual 'ThinkDoTank' model, combining knowledge creation with action. It built a knowledge foundation and network for an ethical data business and policy approach by mapping and promoting alternative privacy tech and human-centric, ethical data-driven solutions; organising conferences; taking part in various EU and global initiatives and conferences; and producing content such as a newsletter and website alongside academic activities. Its purpose was to ensure human value in a world of data, based on a European legal and value-based framework, with individual citizen control at the centre. A significant early output was the book 'DataEthics – The new Competitive Advantage' (2016), co-authored by Gry Hasselbalch and Pernille Tranberg, which helped establish the organisation's public profile in the data ethics field. Tranberg, a former journalist and editor, also authored 'A Data Democracy Comes With Individual Data Control' (2021) and co-authored 'Fake It' (2012) on big data and digital self-defence. Over the years DataEthics developed its research arm, DataEthics-Research/Academic, focused on critical independent academic research with a trans-technical and sectoral focus on data technology and practices. Its research explorations have included data ethics and socio-technical infrastructures of power, sustainability issues of data and AI, data ethics in public procurement of AI, and the human-centric approach to AI. The organisation collaborates with key academic and research actors on research, publications, conferences and education, and maintains a network of distinguished and affiliated scholars from institutions including the University of Amsterdam, Universidad de San Andrés, the University of Sydney, the Danish Institute of Human Rights, The Center for AI and Digital Policy, the European Commission, Brooklyn Law School, KU Leuven and the University of Bonn. DataEthics also developed practical tools for digital sovereignty, including a list of mainly European and open-source-based digital tools, an AI readiness test and data ethics principles. Its academic director Gry Hasselbalch has represented the organisation as a guest speaker on AI ethics at the EU Agencies Network (EUAN) Working Group on AI, and the organisation has signed declarations such as the Cannes Declaration on the Sovereignty of the Human Mind at the World AI Cannes Festival. As of the mid-2020s DataEthics remains an active not-for-profit, politically independent organisation based in Denmark with European and global outreach.

• 2021

  Pernille Tranberg publishes 'A Data Democracy Comes With Individual Data Control'.

• 2016

  Publication of the book 'DataEthics – The new Competitive Advantage' by Gry Hasselbalch and Pernille Tranberg.

• 2015

  DataEthics (Dataetisk Tænkehandletank) founded in August 2015 by a group of female leaders in data and AI ethics.

A not-for-profit, politically independent European ThinkDoTank providing critical independent evidence for policy and business development on human-centric, ethical data and AI.

• DataEthics-Research/Academic

  Critical independent academic research arm with a trans-technical and sectoral focus on data technology and practices.

• Data Ethics Tools for Digital Sovereignty

  A list of mainly European and open-source-based digital tools.

• Dataethics Readiness Test

  An AI readiness test offered by DataEthics.

• Data Ethics Principles

  Principles published by DataEthics.

1. 1Dataetisk Tænkehandletankdataethics.eu
2. 2About · Dataetisk Tænkehandletankdataethics.eu
3. 3DataEthics-Research/Academic · Dataetisk Tænkehandletankdataethics.eu
4. 4Who are we · Dataetisk Tænkehandletankdataethics.eu
5. 5Wikidatawikidata.org