Data ethics protocols for immigrant serving organizations and newcomer privacy protection
Project Lead(s)
Team Members
Yasmeen Abu-Laban, Abdullah Alzubaidi (external link) , Augustine Farinola, Huong Le, Andrew MacDonald, Eleyan Sawafta (external link) , Ayesha-Jade Reece (external link) , Bennett Tchoh (external link)
Sub-theme
ADTs in immigration governance
The sub-theme 'ADTs in immigration governance' considers the impact of advanced digital technologies on immigration governance in the past, present, and future, in Canada and in comparative perspective.
Objective
Privacy is a fundamental human right as well as a recognized right in The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Yet, in a context of rapidly changing advanced digital technologies (ADTs), privacy protection can be quickly outdated, carrying consequences for both individuals and groups, as well as for human rights. This project seeks to better understand a series of questions concerning privacy and data security in the contexts of ADTs and immigration in Canada today.
Research question(s)
- What sorts of data are collected by immigrant serving organizations (ISOs), and what sorts of privacy and data security issues might they carry?
- How do immigrants access ADTs and use ADTs? What do they think is going to happen to their data?
- Are ADTs largely seen positively or negatively? How can they be improved to better serve immigrants?
- To what extent are newcomers as well as staff at ISOs aware of privacy issues at stake with ADTs?
Methodology
This work incorporates a mixed methods design involving document collection through document analysis and/or interviews with ISO staff in medium and large sized Canadian cities (Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Calgary, Vancouver), alongside survey research.
Status
The project is ongoing, multiple outcomes are being produced.
Expected completion date: September 2026
Outcomes
Past events and conferences:
- Lecture on “Responsible AI: How can we all participate?” presented by Rockwell, INT D 161 “Artificial Intelligence Everywhere,” January 2025.
- Lecture on “Responsible AI: A Risk Management Approach to Ethics” presented by Rockwell, CMPUT 200 “Ethics of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence,” January 2025.
- “AI Ethics Bowl” organized and led by Rockwell for “From Data to Decision” (FD2D), a NSERC CREATE-funded program, December 2024.
- “Impacts of Deepfakes in Alberta” virtual engagement session attended by Rockwell as an academic subject matter expert, organized by the Government of Alberta’s Ministry of Technology and Innovation.
- “Chinook: The Use of Advanced Digital Technologies in Visa Processing in Canada” presented online by Farhanghar, Association for Computers and the Humanities conference, November 2024.
- “Telegram Tales: A Critical Digital Analysis of Canadian Immigration Discourse” presented by Khemka, Canadian Ethnic Studies Association Conference, Edmonton, AB, November 14-16, 2024.
Key words
ADTs; Advanced digital technologies; data ethics; immigration; privacy protection
