In an increasingly digital world, where data is continually collected and analysed, the consideration of privacy issues is more critical than ever. This is particularly pertinent in the collection of data through apps that are following users’ movements. While data on how people travel can provide valuable insights for organisations and urban planners, it raises privacy concerns that need to be carefully managed. So, is privacy possible when gathering travel data via app? The answer is yes, but it requires a thoughtful approach, which we apply in our work with Travalytics.

Transparency and Consent

Transparency is the foundation of ethical data collection. Users must be informed about what data is being collected, why it is collected, and how it will be used. Consent should be obtained explicitly, ensuring that users are fully aware of what they are agreeing to. This can be achieved through clear and straightforward privacy policies.

Data Anonymisation

To protect individual identities, any data shared with organisations, planners, researchers or published in sustainability reports, should be anonymised and aggregated. This means removing personally identifiable information (PII) and combining data points so that individual users cannot be identified. The more individuals who collect data, the easier it is to anonymise the data and data cannot be shared / viewed if too few people are included in the underlying data.  

User Control

Users should have control over their data. This includes options to opt-in or out of data collection at any time, as well as the ability to delete their data upon request.

Security Measures

Implementing robust security measures is essential to safeguard collected data. This includes encryption of data, secure access and processes, and regular review of these processes. These measures help ensure that the data that is collected is protected from unauthorised access.

Purpose Limitation and Data Minimisation

Collect only the data that is necessary for the stated purpose and avoid collecting excessive information that could increase privacy risks.

GDPR – an overarching framework which provides support

These principles are also included within legislative frameworks. The GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) in Europe provides organisations and individuals with a consistent framework for how to protect individuals’ rights. This framework is valuable to support organisations’ work with data protection.

Privacy and Travalytics

In answer to the question, yes it is possible to maintain data privacy. Within the context of the work we do at Travalytics, we are not actually interested in individuals and what they do, but about patterns in the data. It does not matter if one person drives to work, it matters if several people drive to work along the same route because that pattern gives an opportunity to provide a more efficient and sustainable alternative. Because we are not interested in the individuals, it also makes it easier to provide a framework that ensures data privacy.