Edinburgh Napier University

  The use and management of metadata raises many ethical and eventually political issues. The security revelations by Edward Snowden in 2014 demonstrate the key role that metadata plays in surveillance. Privacy has become a particularly hot topic in recent months and much of the debate has centred on the misuse of metadata from social media and the potentially invasive effect this has on individuals. Metadata also has a key role in delivering reliable sources of information, although this has to go hand in hand with user education and improved information literacy. Access to information is a fundamental right and the appropriate use of metadata can help improve access to health, agriculture and education as well as contributing to economic development. Metadata is a route to good governance, but it must also be handled appropriately to maintain information privacy, a fundamental human right.