Narrating Spatial Data With Responsibility: Balancing Ethics and Decision Making

Abstract

This chapter discussed the responsible use of spatial data in decision-making and the need to balance ethics with decision-making. The role of spatial data in decision-making and storytelling is discussed. Ethical issues in spatial data storytelling such as privacy and confidentiality, bias and discrimination, accuracy and misinformation, accessibility and inclusivity, environmental and social impacts, data ownership and credit, and transparency are described, along with the strategies to overcome these issues. The different roles of storytelling in decision-making are elaborated on, along with the challenges and risks associated with using storytelling in decision-making. The chapter also discussed the challenges of striking a balance between ethics and decision-making, such as conflicting interests, cognitive biases, time constraints, political and legal constraints, and many more. Strategies to overcome these challenges, including developing clear ethical guidelines and engaging diverse stakeholders, are underpinned in this chapter as well.