What question did this study set out to answer?

To explore how the data economy affects traditional conceptions of autonomy and property rights within human rights frameworks.

February 27, 2026Open Access

Data as Capital: Does the Data Economy Challenge Traditional Human Rights Conceptions of Autonomy and Property

Key Points

To explore how the data economy affects traditional conceptions of autonomy and property rights within human rights frameworks.
Analysis of the role of data in the digital economy
Examination of traditional human rights frameworks
Assessment of inequalities in developing countries
Data commodification undermines individual autonomy.
Economic power concentrates among few major platforms.
Inequalities worsen in countries with weak data governance.

Abstract

The global digital economy, driven by continuous data extraction and commodification, undermines traditional human rights frameworks by eroding individual autonomy, concentrating economic value among powerful platforms, and exacerbating inequalities, particularly in developing countries lacking robust data governance, thereby necessitating a rethinking of consent, ownership, and justice in the age of digitalisation.

Data as Capital: Does the Data Economy Challenge Traditional Human Rights Conceptions of Autonomy and Property

Key Points

Abstract

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