On 20 May, Skatteforsk – Norwegian Centre for Tax Research hosted an open lecture as part of NMBU Next, a week dedicated to career development for PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers.
The lecture, “How to work with leaked data”, was given by Professor Annette Alstadsæter, Director of Skatteforsk. The event brought together researchers, students, and staff for a discussion on how leaked data can be used in empirical research, and how researchers can manage the ethical, legal, and privacy-related challenges such data may involve.
Leaked data can offer rare insights into economic behaviour that is otherwise difficult to observe. In tax research, such data has contributed to a better understanding of hidden wealth, offshore structures, and tax evasion. At the same time, working with leaked data requires careful consideration of source quality, legal constraints, data protection, and the potential risks for individuals represented in the material.
The lecture highlighted how responsible use of sensitive data can help researchers uncover important patterns in society while maintaining high standards for ethics, transparency, and privacy protection.
Interested in learning more about working safely with leaked data?
Read Skatteforsk Working Paper 23, “Safely Opening Pandora’s Box”, which explores how researchers can handle leaked data responsibly while addressing legal, ethical, and privacy-related concerns.