The Privacy Debate around MDS

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 In Monday's class, Ms. Smith from LADOT addressed privacy concerns around DOT's ride tracking pilot, Mobility Data Specification (MDS). MDS would require micromobility companies, and eventually TOC companies, to provide the government with all ride data except the user's identity.

 Several companies have resisted sharing their data with the city with the explanation that even if user names are stripped from the dataset, it's often possible to deduce the identity of users through their habits. Ms. Smith acknowledged that this is true, but she didn't seem to be too concerned about it. She suggested that the major reason micromobility companies have filed lawsuits and resist giving up their data is that the information could potentially be used by competitors.

 Initially, I was unsure why people would be concerned about LADOT having access to this data. I don't even know how many of my iphone apps have access to my location data at this point. Also, this data could really help DOT. First, with all the information, they can make informed policy decisions about micromobility. It could dictate how they regulate scooter distribution to disadvantaged communities, what locations they improve bike infrastructure, and how they enable first last mile connections. However, opponents of MDS bring up some compelling points. Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) notes that location information is particularly sensitive data. One's movement can reveal a lot about them. They write:

 "This may seem innocuous, but what if our rider was a domestic violence survivor at risk of being stalked by their assaulter? Or, instead of a regular commute to and from work or school, the data showed our rider taking regular trips to attend Jummah prayer at a local mosque or meetings of a local political organization? The potential threat to their safety as well as religious and political freedom makes it easy to see how critical it is that LADOT and the City Council act to protect this sensitive personal information." 

 One reason this data could be particularly revealing of user identity is that it is dockless. While CitiBike collects user data, the fact that they are docked makes it harder to track exactly where users come and go from. In addition, DOT is requesting dis-aggregated data, increasing the potential that city employees could piece together the identity of users. General manager of LADOT, Seleta Reynolds, explains “If data is aggregated before I touch it, I lose options of what to do or analyses to run... Talk to me in two months after the system is in operation, and I might have decided I really don’t need the disaggregated data. … That’s why MDS is open and versioned. We’re learning a ton as we iterate.”

 There is no doubt that the data collected by dockless micromobility companies and TNCs is powerful. It has the power to shape public policy, and in the wrong hands, it has the power to be destructive. However, at the end of the day, this data is out there. I trust DOT with this data more than I trust Uber and other companies. 

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