Your Data,Your Terms Report
The Smart Data Donation Service (SDDS) has been working with Partnership for Young London (PYL) to understand young people’s concerns around their data, and what might motivate them to donate it to the SDDS.
The work has resulted in a new peer-led report, Your Data, Your Terms. It finds that young people feel exploited by tech platforms but locked into using them. Relevant to the SDDS’s mission, it also finds that young people would donate their data for public good, but only on their own terms. They need to know what it is for, trust who is asking, feel safe, stay in control, and hear back afterwards.
The report was researched and written by the SDDS Peer Research Group, a team of young people who agreed questions, ran interviews and focus groups, analysed what they heard, and wrote each chapter. Its publication concludes the first year of the collaboration between the SDDS and PYL.
What the young people found
Young people described social media feeds designed to hold their attention. They still feel they cannot leave these platforms without losing touch with friends. Many do not see ticking a box as real consent, and some would donate data for research but never for commercial use.
Trust came down to motive. Most young people interviewed trust universities more than government, and trust companies the least. Young people reacted well to the fact that the SDDS exists and is visible. They want to know what research is for before they donate. They also expect something back, such as results, impact and continued contact.
The report also notes that the young people research most needs are the ones who are the hardest to reach. Recruiting them through community organisations they trust is central to the success of the work.
Isy, peer researcher, said: “Young people will live through the biggest technological changes of the coming decades. They should be at the centre of this work, involved in ways that build their sense of control and their trust.” She added: “SDDS can empower young people, as long as their concerns are heard and acted on.”
Sam McGregor, Deputy Director at Smart Data Research UK, said: “Donated data holds huge potential for research, and young people’s views on data sharing, trust, and control are vital to understanding what’s needed for data donation to work in ways that reflect their expectations.
“We’re proud of the Smart Data Donation Service for supporting this work. The findings of this report are valuable not only to Smart Data Research UK but also to researchers, policymakers, and practitioner communities seeking to understand young people’s experiences of our digital society and tackling online safety challenges.”
What’s next?
The report makes a number of recommendations to the SDDS. These will be used to help shape, inform and guide the work of the service over the coming months. A second group of peer researchers will join the PYL and SDDS work for 2026–27. They will look at how they can support the SDDS to put the recommendations into practice.
