Data Guardians’ Behaviors and Challenges While Caring for Others’ Personal Data

Many professional domains require the collection and use of personal data. Protecting systems and data is a major concern in these settings, making it necessary that workers who interact with personal data understand and practice good security and privacy habits. However, to date, there has been little examination of perceptions, behaviors, and challenges among these professionals. To address this gap, we conducted an interview study of 19 individuals working in the education, finance, and health fields. We discovered an overarching theme centered on caring in relation to how these professionals feel responsible for protecting other people’s personal data and take on a “data guardian” role. The identification of the experiences and challenges of data guardians can aid organizations in recognizing and supporting this critical role. Study insights can also help designers of systems that process personal data to better align with the needs and constraints of data guardians.