出版社：International Association for Social Science Information Service & Technology
摘要：In recent years, the level of detail in confidential datamade available to social scientists has increaseddramatically. One particularly important growth areahas been ensuring that research outputs do notpresent any residual disclosure risk. Traditionally thishas been managed by specifying rules for researchers(the ’rules-based’ model), but it is increasinglyrecognized that a ‘principles-based’ approach is bothmore secure and more cost-effective.The principles-based approach requires a higher levelof expertise from those managing access to data,and places the subjective assessment of risk at theforefront of decision-making; these two factors makedata managers uncomfortable. In addition, knowledgeof this approach is concentrated amongst a relativelysmall community, whereasthe rules-based approach hasdominated for half a century;data managers may not be awareof an alternative perspective.This paper reviews the argumentsfor the two different approaches.They are not mutually exclusive:both take simple rules asa starting point, but the rules-based approachalso finishes there. This has advantages in somecircumstances, but the value of the principles-basedapproach increases with the sensitivity of the data andthe scope of researchers to innovate.The paper considers how the two approaches can beimplemented. Although the principles-based modelrequires greater initial investment by both researchersand those managing access to data, this can bringsubstantial auxiliary benefits to the latter. The papertherefore concludes that a principles-based approachis generally preferable, and it is essential for the remoteresearch data centres which dominate access solutionsfor the most sensitive data.
