ORCID, Privacy, and Trust

Summary

An update on Jisc's views of ORCID, Privacy and trust

An Update from Jisc

In February 2023, our late colleague Andrew Cormack wrote an insightful blog post titled “Data Protection Benefits with ORCID”, exploring how ORCID’s practices aligned with data protection principles. A year later, Jisc followed up with “Data Protection and ORCID: One Year On”, remembering Andrew’s contributions and affirming the ongoing relevance of his perspective.

Now, in light of ORCID’s recent privacy policy updates and the introduction of Trust Markers, we at Jisc felt it was time to revisit this important topic and provide an updated organizational perspective.

Evaluating ORCID’s 2024 Privacy Policy Changes

In September 2024, ORCID released significant updates to their Privacy Policy, aiming to provide comprehensive coverage of all personal data uses. The policy now includes detailed explanations of data uses related to support requests, mailing lists, membership administration, grant applications, and community engagement channels.

While the policy’s structure has changed, ORCID has not altered any underlying privacy practices. The revised policy affirms ORCID’s commitment to extending GDPR-like rights to all users globally, regardless of location.

Jisc welcomes these changes as a step towards greater transparency and clarity for researchers. The updated policy makes it easier for individuals to understand how their data is used and what rights they have. We believe these changes align with the principles Andrew highlighted in his 2023 blog post, such as reducing risk and minimizing unnecessary processing.

The Promise of Trust Markers

Alongside the privacy policy updates, ORCID introduced Trust Markers to enhance data quality and trust within ORCID records. These markers, added by validated sources like publishers and employers, serve as indicators that the data comes from credible entities.

We see significant potential in Trust Markers to strengthen data accuracy and give researchers greater control over their information. By making it easier to identify trusted sources, Trust Markers could help combat misuse of ORCID records and bolster confidence in the system.

However, it will be crucial to monitor the implementation and adoption of Trust Markers to ensure they deliver on their promise. Jisc is committed to working with ORCID and our member institutions to provide feedback and guidance as this feature develops.

Aligning with ORCID’s Principles and Initiatives

ORCID’s recent changes don’t exist in isolation; they are part of a broader set of initiatives and principles that guide the organization’s work. ORCID’s endorsement of the Barcelona Declaration on Open Research Information, their annual release of a Public Data File during Open Access Week, and their recent evaluation of the Principles for Open Scholarly Infrastructure (POSI) all demonstrate a dedication to openness, transparency, and community governance.

Jisc shares these values and believes they are essential for maintaining trust and fostering widespread adoption of research infrastructure. We will continue to engage with ORCID to ensure their practices align with the needs and expectations of UK researchers.

Our Commitment Going Forward

As the UK’s consortium lead for ORCID, Jisc has a responsibility to stay informed about changes that impact our members and the researchers we support. We will continue to monitor ORCID’s policies and practices, provide feedback and advocacy when needed, and communicate relevant updates to our stakeholders.

We invite researchers, institutions, and anyone with an interest in scholarly infrastructure to share their thoughts, concerns, and ideas with us. Together, we can work towards an open and trusted research ecosystem that empowers researchers and advances knowledge, building on the valuable insights Andrew Cormack provided during his time with us.

This post reflects Jisc’s current perspective based on the information available to us. We welcome feedback and input from the community to help shape our understanding and guide our engagement with ORCID moving forward.