by Portia Yip, Marketing Services

What is data ethics and security?

"I like to describe data ethics and security as the foundation of trust in digital society," shares Melina Luxruel, an instructor with Continuing Studies at UVic. "It’s about being responsible in collecting, gathering, using, storing, sharing or disposing data."

With a PhD in information technologies and a background in cybersecurity research, data privacy, and governance, Melina brings an interdisciplinary perspective to her teaching. Today, Melina teaches courses in applied AI, cloud computing, IT privacy and security, computing concepts, Microsoft Azure, Microsoft identity compliance and security, and more.

With all of them, her goal is similar—to help learners navigate a data-driven world with confidence, curiosity and responsibility. She also believes in bridging advanced technology with education that puts people and communities first.

Data culture and adaptable mindsets

"The more we learn, the more we realize how much we don’t know," Melina says.

As artificial intelligence (AI) and technology rapidly evolve, assumptions are challenged and ethical questions can grow more complex. For Melina, education is not about memorizing fixed rules, but about learning how to think critically and to adapt with the changes.

What fascinates Melina most about data ethics and security is the idea of data culture. Just as understanding cultural norms helps people communicate respectfully, understanding data culture helps us use information responsibly.

Melina describes how data is also more than just numbers. "Behind those zeros and ones are people and communities," she explains.

This concept is also important when working with sensitive or community-based data, such as data and languages related to Indigenous communities. Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDS) moves beyond technical compliance and highlights the need for respect, consent, and ethical stewardship.

Why data ethics starts with trust and consent

For those new to the topic, Melina describes how we live not only in physical communities, but also in digital ones, and trust is what holds them together. Data ethics and security combine technology with law and philosophy, while raising moral questions about how technical decisions affect real lives.

She often uses informed consent as a starting point. "It's about making sure that the person we are asking understands every single thing about why we need their data, how we are going to use their data, and how we are going to share their data."

When individuals don’t fully understand how their data will be used, shared or stored, the consequences can be emotional, financial, physical or societal—especially when dealing with sensitive information like health or financial data.

Principles of data ethics and security

According to Melina, here are five things to know and understand about this topic:

1. Data ethics and security is about respecting people, building trust, and acting responsibly.
2. Consent is one of the most important principles in data ethics and security.
3. Transparency and how information is collected are equally important.
4. Privacy and anonymization are key factors to ensure identities aren’t recognized.
5. Data security means protecting information and making sure data is stored securely.

Many students are also increasingly interested in the world of AI and how it affects privacy and the ethical principles that can be built into AI systems. Alongside curiosity, Melina sees a healthy sense of caution.

"Students want to know how AI can change or impact our personal information," she says. "There is some weariness but at the same time, they are very curious to know how AI can better manage and handle our information."

Beyond AI, she points out key trends such as zero-trust security models, least-privilege identity management, privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs), and AI-driven security and privacy tools.

Shaping responsible digital citizens

Melina’s advice to future students?

"Learn technology deeply and question it even more deeply," she emphasizes. "Data ethics is not only about memorizing rules or policies, it’s about developing ethical intuition and understanding societal impact and implication."

In her courses, Melina focuses on fostering an inclusive environment where students feel safe to share ideas—even uncertain ones. Since data ethics and security is interdisciplinary, she uses a layered learning approach. Core concepts are first explored, followed by real-world examples, hands-on exercises, and scenario analysis in each session.

One of her most memorable moments involved a student with no IT knowledge or background who was thinking about dropping the course. By the end of the term, that student produced a top-level final project on privacy-by-design in healthcare. For Melina, seeing that kind of transformation is the most rewarding part of teaching.

Ultimately, she aims to shape more people into responsible digital citizens who recognize that their digital identity, or "digital self," is part of who they are—and that protecting data means protecting communities.

About the instructor

• Posted February 13, 2026