Data ethics: defining the governance of artificial intelligence

Noise surrounding the corporate use of data for potentially unethical purposes has increased by dozens of decibels in recent weeks. During the summer, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) hosted a symposium, during which consumer vulnerability was discussed, highlighting concerns that older people, or those with mental health issues, or workers on low incomes, face disadvantages in dealing with product and service providers in an increasingly digital world. These types of customers may stay with service providers longer and struggle to shop around, paying what has become known as the "loyalty penalty". While the use of third parties--especially websites--to help customers find better deals has opened up the banking and energy sectors, CMA chief executive Andrea Coscelli recently suggested that principles-based regulation may have a "potential role" in managing the welter of customer information that businesses have--with principles set against abusing that data. Two days after Coscelli's comments, the CMA announced it would investigate a "super complaint" by Citizens Advice about loyalty penalties.