Paper Number
ECIS2026-1375
Paper Type
CRP
Abstract
Data studies focusing on aspects of data sharing and repurposing reveal a tendency towards a normatively biased, teleological stance. The discourse emphasises economically and socially desirable aspects while marginalising illegal practices, negative externalities, and unintended side effects of data sharing and repurposing. Here, we argue that the discourse should be expanded to encompass a more critical and holistic perspective, and we demonstrate how the increasing importance of data in the digital era, particularly amid the sensationalism surrounding artificial intelligence, has given rise to an overlooked phenomenon termed ‘data laundering’. Data laundering denotes the brokering of unlawfully obtained data to conceal its illicit origin for further commercial or governmental use. In our study, we offer a review of the origins of data laundering in the literature and a tentative theorisation of the phenomenon based on a synthesis of three empirical secondary case vignettes. Finally, we outline three avenues for future research.
Recommended Citation
Schmid, Alexander M., "Al Capone’s Storefront In The Digital Age: Theorising The Emerging Phenomenon Of Data Laundering" (2026). ECIS 2026 Proceedings. 2.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2026/datasc_isresearch/datasc_isresearch/2
Al Capone’s Storefront In The Digital Age: Theorising The Emerging Phenomenon Of Data Laundering
Data studies focusing on aspects of data sharing and repurposing reveal a tendency towards a normatively biased, teleological stance. The discourse emphasises economically and socially desirable aspects while marginalising illegal practices, negative externalities, and unintended side effects of data sharing and repurposing. Here, we argue that the discourse should be expanded to encompass a more critical and holistic perspective, and we demonstrate how the increasing importance of data in the digital era, particularly amid the sensationalism surrounding artificial intelligence, has given rise to an overlooked phenomenon termed ‘data laundering’. Data laundering denotes the brokering of unlawfully obtained data to conceal its illicit origin for further commercial or governmental use. In our study, we offer a review of the origins of data laundering in the literature and a tentative theorisation of the phenomenon based on a synthesis of three empirical secondary case vignettes. Finally, we outline three avenues for future research.
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