Abel Brodeur and data imaging
Research by Abel Brodeur, Professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Ottawa, on privacy risks associated with publicly shared research data was recently highlighted in Science

As part of the Faculty of Social Sciences’ vibrant research community, Professor Brodeur’s work contributes to the faculty’s commitment to dynamic, interdisciplinary research that produces local and global impact.

The article, Social science studies may promise anonymity, but participant identities often lurk in public data in Science explains how in their new study, Abel Brodeur and co-author David Valenta examine hundreds of social science replication packages to assess the presence of personally identifiable information. Their findings show that personal information can sometimes remain accessible in publicly shared research data, despite measures taken to protect participants’ anonymity.

The research highlights the importance of balancing research transparency and reproducibility with the protection of participants’ privacy and underscores the need for responsible approaches to sharing research data. The Science article 

Professor Brodeur also summarizes the study’s key findings in a thread discussing the research.