Risk Personalization: Governing Uncertain Collective Risk Through Individual Decisions

Abstract

Individuals are regularly made responsible for risks they wish to take: one can consent to processing of personal data, and decide what to buy based on risk information on product labels. However, both large‐scale processing of personal data and aggregated product choices may carry collective risks for society. In such situations, governance arrangements implying individual responsibility are at odds with uncertain collective risks from new technologies. We, therefore, investigate the governance challenges of what we call risk personalization: a form of governance for dealing with uncertain collective risks that allocates responsibility for governing those risks to individuals. We situate risk personalization at the intersection of two trends: governance of uncertain risk, and emphasis on individual responsibility. We then analyze three cases selected based on diversity: social media, nanomaterials, and Uber. Cross‐case comparison highlights issues of risk personalization pertaining to (i) the nature of the risk, (ii) governance arrangements in place, and (iii) mechanisms for allocating responsibility to individuals. We identify governance challenges in terms of (i) meaningful choice, (ii) effectiveness in mitigating risk, and (iii) collective decision making capacity. We conclude that the risk personalization lens stimulates reflection on the effectiveness and legitimacy of risk governance in light of individual agency.

Mejora de la gobernanza, con relación a la participación ciudadana, en la Municipalidad de San Martin de Porres, 2020-2022

“…De la misma forma, Righettini y Lizzi (2020) concluyó que distintas conexiones de instrumentos múltiples con diferentes valores de diversidad de gobernanza encaminan a una multiplicidad de adaptaciones y una verosimilitud sobresaliente al integrase direcciones de gobierno. También, Spruit et al (2021) concluyeron que la inseguridad alienta a la meditación sobre la existencia y legalidad de la gobernanza en la administración. Por el contrario, Sorello et al ( 2021) encontraron que en países en desarrollo existen dificultades por una débil gobernanza debido a contraproducentes ambientes institucionales que carecen de financiamiento para su innovación.…”

Hindsight is so 2020

“…In this issue of Risk, Hazards and Crisis in Public Policy , a variety of contributions deal with comparative approaches to risk, response, and resilience, both in relation to Covid and other threats or crises. Spruit et al (2021) probe into how governance arrangements implying individual responsibility may increase uncertain collective risks arising from new technologies. Al‐Manji et al (2021) identify factors that positively influence coordinated action in organizational networks that aim to reduce disaster risk and increase community resilience in Oman.…”

“…En esta edición de Risk, Hazards and Crisis in Public Policy , una variedad de contribuciones abordan enfoques comparativos de riesgo, respuesta y resiliencia, tanto en relación con el Covid como con otras amenazas o crisis. Shannon Spruit y coautores (2021) investigan cómo los acuerdos de gobernanza que implican responsabilidad individual pueden aumentar los riesgos colectivos inciertos que surgen de las nuevas tecnologías. Al‐Manji y sus coautores (2021) identifican factores que influyen positivamente en la acción coordinada en redes organizativas que tienen como objetivo reducir el riesgo de desastres y aumentar la resiliencia comunitaria en Omán.…”