Trustworthy migrant-centric apps and other ICT tools: Data protection as the last line of defence

The potential of deploying smartphone applications (apps) and other information communication technologies (ICTs) in the sphere of migration has gained significant attention in the last decade. Take, for example, tailored apps and their fundamental role in fostering migrants’ socio-economic integration in society. However, their deployment requires the processing of migrants’ personal data which holds specific human rights and data protection implications for individuals living in vulnerable situations. This contribution highlights the importance of implementing the key principles of data protection by design and by default into the design of apps developed for migrants’ integration, taking the approach that data protection is one of the last lines of defence for vulnerable individuals. It focuses on how the implementation of data protection principles can encourage transparency, increase migrants’ awareness of data protection rights and foster trust in the technology. We provide an example of their practical implementation in the REBUILD project and the efforts taken to ensure the apps created enable the integration of migrants without exposing them to harms associated with the processing of their personal data. We conclude that every initiative developing apps and other ICTs to support migrants should do so whilst embedding data protection principles into their design.