How should we share health-related data? Foucault, Sorgner, and the surveillance of society’s gaze

Martin Lipovšek, Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
José S. González-Campos, Department of Nursing, Health Faculty, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain

Background: In this article, the authors present a nuanced argument for wider, obligatory sharing of biomedical data tempered by privacy considerations, particularly when data acquires “panoptic character.” Objective: The article underscores the importance of this balance, advocating for enhanced scientific progress through greater data availability while preserving fundamental aspects of individual privacy. Method: Utilizing a philosophical approach, the study critiques and builds on existing ideas in biomedical ethics and surveillance studies, drawing on the philosophical frameworks of Stefan Sorgner and Michel Foucault. Results: A key contribution is the novel introduction of the “panoptic data” concept, defining a threshold where data collection oversteps into unacceptable invasive surveillance, influencing individual behavior and freedom of choosing own way of life. Conclusion: This concept is pivotal in balancing the needs of obligatory data sharing with the imperatives of privacy, offering critical perspectives for shaping future policies and ethical frameworks in biomedical data management.

Keywords: l data. Panopticon. Stefan Sorgner. Michelle Foucault. Bioethics. Biopolitics.