Conceptualizing Autonomy in an Era of Collective Data Processing: From Theory to Practice

Abstract While literature has already recognized the relational and collective impact of data processing, there is still limited understanding how this affects design legislative instruments. We submit that legislators must recognize trade-offs between one’s own interests, interests other individuals, or societal more explicitly in regulating data. To frame our analysis, we rely on a twofold definition autonomy as notion inherently requires positioning oneself within broader context with others. inward-looking dimension focuses ability an individual to make free independent decisions her outward-looking considers relationship choices individuals’ interests. Building working autonomy, assess three instruments, namely General Data Protection Regulation, Digital Markets Act proposal, identify what extent multi-dimensional nature reflected data-related obligations. examine can different explicit thereby bring regulation line current reality increasingly dominated by effects processing.