Prof. Dr. Rob Heyman

The more digitalised we live, the more we get personalised decisions based on our information. My goal is to uncover how these things work and get people to understand what happens with data. I find it curious that so little is known about data in the age of big data. My method consists of uncovering the hidden life of data by mapping these processes in easy to digest, texts, scenarios and visuals. We then use co-creation sessions to map current practices with end-users expectations, regulators or innovators.

My methods consist of Privacy Impact Assessments, data mapping surveys and privacy literacy surveys.I finished my PhD at the VUB in 2016 on the commodification of personal information in Facebook and the effect this had on online communication. Before that, I obtained masters in Communication sciences and Philosophy. And in 2017, I learned to become a stakeholder manager at Levuur. Next to learning, I like to teach and have given lectures and courses at the ULB and VUB on online marketing, research methods, privacy and challenges of the ongoing digitalisation