FG-0209 Ethical Data Boundaries
Description
Define what data AI agents can and cannot collect, store, and process. AI agents can accumulate significant amounts of data about users, work patterns, and content. Ethical Data Boundaries establish clear policies about what information is collected, how it is stored, who has access, and when it is deleted. Clear boundaries build trust as well as satisfy compliance.
Implementation
Inventory what data your AI collaboration generates and stores. Classify data by sensitivity (public, internal, confidential, restricted). Define retention policies for each class. Establish clear rules about what agents can observe vs. record vs. share. Publish your data policy to all participants.
Success Indicators
- Data collection is intentional, not incidental
- Sensitive data has defined retention and deletion policies
- Participants know what data is collected about their interactions
- Data boundaries are technically enforced where possible
Failure Modes
- Collecting everything 'just in case': creates liability without value
- Policies that exist on paper but aren't enforced technically
- No data inventory: team doesn't know what data exists
- Treating all data equally rather than classifying by sensitivity