Personal data has become a central resource in the digital economy. It shapes advertising, recommendations, access to services and, in some contexts, the conditions under which products and services are offered. Yet consumers often have little visibility into which organisations hold their data, how it is used and with whom it is shared.
Behind a familiar brand may be a complex network of subsidiaries, data processors, technology providers, advertising platforms and data brokers. Their respective roles are often difficult for consumers to identify.
Under the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection and the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation, consumers have rights relating to access, correction and deletion of their personal data. In practice, however, exercising these rights can be difficult.
Consumers may need to identify the correct legal entity, navigate different request procedures and contact organisations with which they have no direct customer relationship. Even when an organisation responds to a data access request, it may remain unclear how complete the response is and how closely it reflects the data actually being processed. These obstacles create substantial search, information and transaction costs.
What the project examines
Project Data Control studies the barriers that prevent consumers from exercising meaningful control over their personal data.
As part of the project, an open-source database will be developed to make visible the organisational structures involved in the processing of personal data. It will document companies and other organisations, relevant contact points, and their roles and responsibilities in data processing. Personal data belonging to study participants will not be published.
The project will examine:
- which organisations may hold particular categories of personal data;
- which entities process data on behalf of other organisations;
- which legal entities are responsible for access, correction or deletion requests;
- how organisations respond to data access requests;
- whether responses contain gaps, inconsistencies or unusual patterns;
- and how much consumers value greater transparency and control over their data.
Responses to data access requests will be systematically documented and analysed using data-driven methods. The project will also empirically measure consumers’ preferences for transparency, control and different forms of data governance.
The findings will contribute to a better understanding of information asymmetries in the digital economy and inform the development of more effective tools for exercising data sovereignty.
Take part in our study
Would you like to learn more about what personal data organisations may hold about you and how you can exercise greater control over it?
By participating in our study, you can explore these questions while contributing to research on transparency, data rights, and practical data sovereignty.
Sign up here: Project Data Control
For questions, please contact research.study@unidistance.ch.
