As a researcher, you’re responsible for protecting sensitive data from inappropriate access and use. Prior to publishing data, you must ensure that you are ethically and contractually allowed to provide access to the data. In some cases, such as when a non-disclosure agreement has been signed with a 3rd party data provider, even non-identifiable data can’t be shared. More information about privacy, research data and your responsibilities can be found in the Privacy Act 1988, the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002, the Research Data Management Policy 2014 and the Research Code of Conduct.
Not all data can be made openly available- sometimes releasing data could result in harm to people involved in the research, to endangered species, to national security, or could result in a commercial loss. Depending on the risks associated with your data, there are two main techniques used to safely publish sensitive data.
For further assistance in publishing your research data, email us!
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