In a broader sense, information management means a comprehensive approach to information, including data. Information management is an activity that supports the achievement of the institution’s and the public sector’s objectives through the management, sharing and exchange of information across all information systems and databases (the sub-activities of information management include data management, document management, content management on the intranet and internet, managing access to and protection of information). Therefore, in the context of human-centric data governance, the handling of information as such cannot be overlooked, this entails, among other things, organising and sharing data in the most transparent and secure way possible.

Altogether, human-centric data governance encompasses a wide range of measures aimed at building confidence in data processing as a whole. This could entail ensuring data quality so that the right decisions are made, empowering people and granting them the right to make decisions in the processing of their data and increasing overall data literacy. Additionally, this includes making as much data available and discoverable as possible and without restriction, to create new value by applying privacy technologies to protect the privacy of individuals.

Human-centric data governance thus consists of various activities that:

• enable understanding and monitoring of complex data processing operations (e.g. access, implementation of data tracker);

• give a person the option to decide to receive/change something and to do it in a convenient way (e.g. to allow or deny the processing of data through direct access);

• allow for further safeguarding of people’s privacy in authorised data processing operations (e.g. privacy-enhancing technologies);

• increase data literacy or awareness (e.g. micro degrees, support for different initiatives);

• ensure that people and businesses have the opportunity to share their data (e.g. consent service);

• improve the accessibility of services, simplify or otherwise ensure better compliance with fundamental rights.

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It is vital to cultivate a mindset that places the rights and interests of individuals at the forefront and to actively work towards protecting and defending those rights and interests at all levels.