# Applying Theoretical Advances in Privacy to Computational Social Science Practice The goal of this project is to improve replicability and reproducibility in social science by developing easy-to-use tools for researchers to share confidential research data in a privacy-protective manner, supported by rigorous computational, institutional, and legal foundations. We are motivated by the opportunities in social science created by massive new sources of data and developments in data analysis and sharing, and by the threat that privacy concerns pose to realizing the full potential of social science research. By leveraging ongoing multidisciplinary collaborations and theoretical advances in computation, statistics, law, and social science, the project aims to improve the replicability and reproducibility of data in empirical social science. Our goal is to develop and extend integrated privacy-preserving tools for enabling access to, use, and disclosure of social science data. The proposed project builds on a successful, ongoing multidisciplinary collaboration supported by an NSF Frontier grant: [Privacy Tools for Sharing Research Data](/project-description). Objectives for this project include (1) analyzing the institutional and stakeholder incentives for managing research data privacy and the policy consequences of implementing new computational and legal privacy tools and concepts; (2) designing a blueprint for securing large-scale confidential archival data in the Dataverse repository; (3) exploring applications of our new computational and legal privacy tools to massive data and selected use cases, including online education data, human subjects research data, and economic data protected by NDAs; and (4) expanding research collaborations to engage with other differential privacy and privacy law experts, ongoing data privacy and dissemination efforts at MIT and Harvard, and several related Sloan Foundation projects. This project is supported by a grant from the [Sloan Foundation](https://sloan.org/). For more information, please see the original proposed project description: [cover sheet](/file_url/717) [project proposal](/file_url/718) [appendices](/file_url/719) ### Principal Investigators expand\_more [### Salil Vadhan ](/people/salil-vadhan)Principal Investigator Vicky Joseph Professor of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, SEAS, Harvard ![salil-vadhan.jpg](/sites/g/files/omnuum6656/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/privacytools/files/salil-vadhan.jpg?itok=Ba7yWYPB) [### Micah Altman ](/people/micah-altman)Director of Research and Head/Scientist, Program on Information Science for the MIT Libraries, MIT Non-Resident Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution Current Member of Datatags Team ![drmaltman_1315862855_45.jpg](/sites/g/files/omnuum6656/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/drmaltman_1315862855_45.jpg?itok=UAYee9D8) [### Mercè Crosas ](/people/merc%C3%A8-crosas)Co-PI Director of Data Science, IQSS, Harvard ![crosas.jpg](/sites/g/files/omnuum6656/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/crosas_1.jpg?itok=QUNkHVCk) [### Urs Gasser ](/people/urs-gasser)Executive Director, Berkman Center for Internet & Society Professor of Practice, Harvard Law School Current Member of Datatags Team ![author_photo_urs_gasser_cropped.jpg.jpeg](/sites/g/files/omnuum6656/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/privacytools/files/author_photo_urs_gasser_cropped.jpg.jpeg?itok=4G6x9y71) [### Gary King ](/people/gary-king)Co-PI Albert J. Weatherhead III University Professor, Harvard Director, IQSS, Harvard ![king.jpg](/sites/g/files/omnuum6656/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/king_1.jpg?itok=aQnR02rC) ### Publications expand\_more Download 24 citations download- [BibTeX](/bibcite/export?pager_style=standard_pager&number_of_items=6&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_agenda%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_grants%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=90316&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_research1234567%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_presentations%5D&&&format=bibtex) - [EndNote X3 XML](/bibcite/export?pager_style=standard_pager&number_of_items=6&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_agenda%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_grants%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=90316&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_research1234567%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_presentations%5D&&&format=endnote8) - [EndNote 7 XML](/bibcite/export?pager_style=standard_pager&number_of_items=6&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_agenda%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_grants%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=90316&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_research1234567%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_presentations%5D&&&format=endnote7) - [Endnote tagged](/bibcite/export?pager_style=standard_pager&number_of_items=6&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_agenda%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_grants%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=90316&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_research1234567%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_presentations%5D&&&format=tagged) - [Marc](/bibcite/export?pager_style=standard_pager&number_of_items=6&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_agenda%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_grants%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=90316&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_research1234567%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_presentations%5D&&&format=marc) - [PubMedId](/bibcite/export?pager_style=standard_pager&number_of_items=6&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_agenda%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_grants%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=90316&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_research1234567%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_presentations%5D&&&format=pubmed_id) - [RIS](/bibcite/export?pager_style=standard_pager&number_of_items=6&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_agenda%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_grants%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=90316&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_research1234567%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_presentations%5D&&&format=ris) ### 2019 Victor Balcer and Salil Vadhan. 2019. “[Differential Privacy on Finite Computers](/publications/differential-privacy-finite-computers)”. Journal of Privacy and Confidentiality, 9, 2 Victor Balcer and Salil Vadhan. 2019. “[Differential Privacy on Finite Computers](/publications/differential-privacy-finite-computers)”. Journal of Privacy and Confidentiality, 9, 2 - add\_circle\_outline do\_not\_disturb\_on Abstract - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](https://journalprivacyconfidentiality.org/index.php/jpc/article/view/679) - [ picture\_as\_pdfJPC 2019](/sites/g/files/omnuum6656/files/privacytools/files/sept_2019_-jpc.pdf) - [ picture\_as\_pdfITCS 2018](/sites/g/files/omnuum6656/files/privacytools/files/itcs.pdf) - [ picture\_as\_pdfArXiv](/sites/g/files/omnuum6656/files/privacytools/files/diff_priv.pdf) **Version History:** Also presented at TPDP 2017; preliminary version posted as [arXiv:1709.05396 \[cs.DS\]](https://arxiv.org/abs/1709.05396). 2018: Published in Anna R. Karlin, editor, 9th Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science Conference (ITCS 2018), volume 94 of *Leibniz International*... - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](https://journalprivacyconfidentiality.org/index.php/jpc/article/view/679) - [ picture\_as\_pdfJPC 2019](/sites/g/files/omnuum6656/files/privacytools/files/sept_2019_-jpc.pdf) - [ picture\_as\_pdfITCS 2018](/sites/g/files/omnuum6656/files/privacytools/files/itcs.pdf) - [ picture\_as\_pdfArXiv](/sites/g/files/omnuum6656/files/privacytools/files/diff_priv.pdf) ### 2018 Micah Altman, Alexandra Wood, and Effy Vayena. 2018. “[A Harm-Reduction Framework for Algorithmic Accountability over Personal Information](/publications/harm-reduction-framework-algorithmic-accountability-over-personal)”. IEEE Security & Privacy , 16, 3, Pp. 34-45 Micah Altman, Alexandra Wood, and Effy Vayena. 2018. “[A Harm-Reduction Framework for Algorithmic Accountability over Personal Information](/publications/harm-reduction-framework-algorithmic-accountability-over-personal)”. IEEE Security & Privacy , 16, 3, Pp. 34-45 - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8395114/) - [ picture\_as\_pdfharm-reduction\_framework....](/sites/g/files/omnuum6656/files/privacytools/files/harm-reduction_framework.pdf) - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8395114/) - [ picture\_as\_pdfharm-reduction\_framework....](/sites/g/files/omnuum6656/files/privacytools/files/harm-reduction_framework.pdf) Micah Altman, Alexandra Wood, David O’Brien, and Urs Gasser. 2018. “[Practical Approaches to Big Data Privacy Over Time](/publications/practical-approaches-big-data-privacy-over-time-1)”. International Data Privacy Law, 8, 1, Pp. 29-51 Micah Altman, Alexandra Wood, David O’Brien, and Urs Gasser. 2018. “[Practical Approaches to Big Data Privacy Over Time](/publications/practical-approaches-big-data-privacy-over-time-1)”. International Data Privacy Law, 8, 1, Pp. 29-51 - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](https://academic.oup.com/idpl/advance-article/doi/10.1093/idpl/ipx027/4930711) - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](https://academic.oup.com/idpl/advance-article/doi/10.1093/idpl/ipx027/4930711) Jack Murtagh and Salil Vadhan. 2018. “[The Complexity of Computing the Optimal Composition of Differential Privacy](/publications/complexity-computing-optimal-composition-differential-privacy)”. In Theory of Cryptography Conference (TCC 2016), 8th ed., 14:Pp. 1-35. Theory of Computing (2018) Jack Murtagh and Salil Vadhan. 2018. “[The Complexity of Computing the Optimal Composition of Differential Privacy](/publications/complexity-computing-optimal-composition-differential-privacy)”. In Theory of Cryptography Conference (TCC 2016), 8th ed., 14:Pp. 1-35. Theory of Computing (2018) - add\_circle\_outline do\_not\_disturb\_on Abstract - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](http://theoryofcomputing.org/articles/v014a008/) - [ picture\_as\_pdfPDF](/sites/g/files/omnuum6656/files/privacytools/files/murtaghvadhan.pdf) In the study of differential privacy, composition theorems (starting with the original paper of Dwork, McSherry, Nissim, and Smith (TCC'06)) bound the degradation of privacy when composing several differentially private algorithms. Kairouz, Oh, and... - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](http://theoryofcomputing.org/articles/v014a008/) - [ picture\_as\_pdfPDF](/sites/g/files/omnuum6656/files/privacytools/files/murtaghvadhan.pdf) Kobbi Nissim, Thomas Steinke, Alexandra Wood, Micah Altman, Aaron Bembenek, Mark Bun, Marco Gaboardi, David O’Brien, and Salil Vadhan. 2018. “[Differential Privacy: A Primer for a Non-Technical Audience](http://www.jetlaw.org/journal-archives/volume-21/volume-21-issue-1/differential-privacy-a-primer-for-a-non-technical-audience/)”. Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment and Technology Law , 21, 1, Pp. 209-76 Kobbi Nissim, Thomas Steinke, Alexandra Wood, Micah Altman, Aaron Bembenek, Mark Bun, Marco Gaboardi, David O’Brien, and Salil Vadhan. 2018. “[Differential Privacy: A Primer for a Non-Technical Audience](http://www.jetlaw.org/journal-archives/volume-21/volume-21-issue-1/differential-privacy-a-primer-for-a-non-technical-audience/)”. Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment and Technology Law , 21, 1, Pp. 209-76 - add\_circle\_outline do\_not\_disturb\_on Abstract - [ picture\_as\_pdfPreliminary Version](/sites/g/files/omnuum6656/files/privacytools/files/nissim_et_al_-_differential_privacy_primer_for_non-technical_audiences_1.pdf) - [ picture\_as\_pdfUpdated Version](/sites/g/files/omnuum6656/files/privacytools/files/pedagogical-document-dp_new.pdf) - [ picture\_as\_pdfPDF](/sites/g/files/omnuum6656/files/privacytools/files/differential_privacy_a_primer.pdf) This document is a primer on differential privacy, which is a formal mathematical framework for guaranteeing privacy protection when analyzing or releasing statistical data. Recently emerging from the theoretical computer science literature, differential... - [ picture\_as\_pdfPreliminary Version](/sites/g/files/omnuum6656/files/privacytools/files/nissim_et_al_-_differential_privacy_primer_for_non-technical_audiences_1.pdf) - [ picture\_as\_pdfUpdated Version](/sites/g/files/omnuum6656/files/privacytools/files/pedagogical-document-dp_new.pdf) - [ picture\_as\_pdfPDF](/sites/g/files/omnuum6656/files/privacytools/files/differential_privacy_a_primer.pdf) Jack Murtagh, Kathryn Taylor, George Kellaris, and Salil Vadhan. 2018. “[Usable Differential Privacy: A Case Study With PSI](/publications/usable-differential-privacy-case-study-psi-unpublished-paper-status)” Jack Murtagh, Kathryn Taylor, George Kellaris, and Salil Vadhan. 2018. “[Usable Differential Privacy: A Case Study With PSI](/publications/usable-differential-privacy-case-study-psi-unpublished-paper-status)” - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](https://arxiv.org/abs/1809.04103) - [ picture\_as\_pdfPDF](/sites/g/files/omnuum6656/files/privacytools/files/usable_differential_privacy.pdf) - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](https://arxiv.org/abs/1809.04103) - [ picture\_as\_pdfPDF](/sites/g/files/omnuum6656/files/privacytools/files/usable_differential_privacy.pdf) [ More arrow\_circle\_right ](/publications)