Online Archive of University of Virginia Scholarship
Transparency and Trust in US Data Collection Practices: Advocacy, Regulation, and Tech Ethics1 views
Author
Le, Tyler, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Virginia
Advisors
Norton, Peter, EN-Engineering and Society, University of Virginia
Abstract
Trust in data collection is collapsing. About 81 percent of users feel they lack control over their data (Zhang et al., 2020). Transparency is promoted as the solution, but evidence suggests it often fails. Regulations like the GDPR improved privacy policies but failed to rebuild user trust (Bauer et al., 2021). This transparency-trust paradox exists because transparency isn't a neutral tool but a concept shaped by competing groups. Data collectors, advocates, and regulators in the U.S. influence transparency standards. Technology companies like Apple and Google define transparency in ways that serve their business models, creating a facade of openness. This corporate-defined transparency conflicts with the substantive, accountability-focused standards advocated by groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), resulting in a systemic failure to rebuild trust.
Le, Tyler. Transparency and Trust in US Data Collection Practices: Advocacy, Regulation, and Tech Ethics. University of Virginia, School of Engineering and Applied Science, BS (Bachelor of Science), 2025-12-15, https://doi.org/10.18130/fcpd-zx65.
