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Analyzing and mitigating the risks of online profiling: building a global perspective at the intersection of law, computer science and sociology

The practice of online profiling, which can be defined as the tracking and collection of user information on computer networks, has grown massively during the last decade, and is now affecting the vast majority of citizens. Despite its importance and impact, profiling remains largely unregulated, with no legal provisions determining its lawful use and limits under either the French or European law. This has encouraged  market players to exploit a wide range of tracking technologies to collect user information, including personal data.
Consequently, most online companies are now routinely violating the fundamental rights of their users, especially with respect to their privacy, with little or no oversight.
The PROFILE project brings together experts from law, computer science and sociology to address the challenges raised by online profiling, following a multidisciplinary approach.

Participants: ASAP team (INRIA), DiverSE team (INRIA), DRUID team (IRISA), IODE
(Université de Rennes 1), PREFics (Université de Rennes 2).
External collaborator: Sébastien Gambs (Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada).