Book on signs of trust, labels and personal data is now online

Law, economics, technology and philosophy: These 4 approaches to trust are what define the IMT Personal Data Values and Policies Chair (CVPIP), which has just published a new book titled Signes de confiance – l’impact des labels sur la gestion des données personnelles (Signs of trust: The impact of labels on personal data management).

Trust is foundational in the making of any society. It determines the feasibility of trade and institutional exchanges, and the role these exchanges can play in improving the way we live together. Yet today we are witnessing a crisis of trust, and digital technology is one of the culprits.

Whereas IT and economic sciences look at the concept of risk in the context of a transaction or the security of technical systems, law has traditionally defined trust as a belief in the honesty of others. From a social and philosophical perspective, trust is one of the key mechanisms for reducing uncertainty in a complex modern society. Two different aspects simultaneously work together to reduce this complexity: confidence and trust.

This book takes a look at labels in the area of personal data as a tool for establishing trust. What impact do they have on the user’s perceptions and buying behavior? What solutions can technology—and particularly blockchain—provide?

What role does the State play in this area? What role should it play? What are the limits to the pervasiveness of “trust by design” labels? Could the overuse of labels reduce the responsibility of individuals by discouraging critical analysis?