DataChild

Data has been collected on children since the early phases of childhood institutions such as maternity clinics and schools: children have been measured, weighed, and descriptive notes have been made about them. However, the use of data in decision-making concerning children has increased. Smart clothing designed to facilitate the measurement of children's brain activity is being planned for use in monitoring child development in maternity clinics. Artificial intelligence is being considered to aid decision-making regarding childcare placements. These are examples of the datafication of childhood institutions, i.e., the increasing significance of data in decisions affecting children's everyday lives. In this project, we examine the challenges that data-driven decision-making poses to the equality of children and the possibilities for constructing practices that support equality. In this project, we develop new methods for studying the disparities generated by data and data practices that support socially just practices: We start by examining digital and manual traces accumulated about individual children in institutions central to a child's life. These institutions can include early childhood education centers, maternity clinics, or child protection services. The project traces the data collected about children in collaboration with families. We interview both families and officials working with the data about guidelines, interpretation, and decision-making related to data usage. Our particular focus is on the networks associated with data. In the project, we aim to understand the negotiations involved in reinterpreting data with input from various parties. We refer to these negotiations as data activism. Examining these negotiations shed light on the multifaceted implications of various data uses for promoting equality among children.