Scrapping National Census Raises Data Sovereignty, Surveillance Fears for Māori

Scrapping national census raises data sovereignty, surveillance fears for Māori

Analysis - The move is not necessarily bad, especially given the rising cost and declining participation rates, but there are concerns, experts say.

Scrapping the national census raises data sovereignty and surveillance fears for Māori

Getty ImagesYesterday’s announcement that the five-yearly national census would be scrapped has raised difficult questions about the effectiveness, ethics and resourcing of the new “administrative” system that will replace it. An administrative census will use information collected in day-to-day government activities, such as emergency-room admission forms, overseas travel declarations and marriage licences. The move is not necessarily bad in pr…

Nationwide Census Scrapped – Expert Reaction – Science Media Centre

Statistics Minister Dr Shane Reti said the new approach will use existing administrative records alongside a smaller annual survey and targeted studies. The Science Media Centre asked experts to comment. Associate Professor Lara Greaves (Ngāpuhi, Pākehā, Tararā), political scientist, Victoria University of Wellington, comments: “I am mostly concerned about the constitutional implications of this change. Census data is used in determining the num…

Geopolitics puts focus on data control

There’s been a dramatic rise in concern over data sovereignty across the UK technology sector, with 83% of IT leaders worried that geopolitical developments may affect their ability to control and access their data. According to survey by Civo, 61% of IT decision-makers now view data sovereignty as a strategic priority. This comes as more than half (54%) report having pursued a digital migration strategy in the past year, illustrating the signif…