CDEF case studies
CDEF · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The Certified Data Ethics Fundamentals (CDEF) credential is aimed at practitioners who need to reason about the ethical dimensions of data work rather than simply comply with a checklist. It suits data analysts, data scientists, product managers, privacy and compliance staff, AI reviewers, and governance leads who make or influence decisions about collecting, sharing, modelling, and deploying data. The exam spans nine domains: ethical theory and foundations; privacy and individual rights; fairness, bias, and non-discrimination; transparency, explainability, and accountability; governance, stewardship, and security ethics; the regulatory landscape; decision-making frameworks and case analysis; emerging technologies and societal impact; and organisational culture, professional conduct, and whistleblowing. Expect scenario-based multiple-choice items that test judgement, not recall of statute numbers. The CDEF case studies are 5 cases and about 3,786 words.
1Full ZIP Codes and Exact Dates in a De-Identified Health Dataset
MediTrust Analytics licenses de-identified electronic health records to academic researchers. Its current release contains 1.4 million patients from 12 hospitals.
827 words, about 4 min2Disparate Impact and ZIP Code Features in a Credit Model
Northline Bank uses a gradient-boosted machine-learning model to approve personal loans. The model's AUC is 0.81.
791 words, about 4 min3Trade Secrets and Due Process in a Child Welfare Risk Tool
Riverton County's child protective services agency uses a vendor's FamilyRisk algorithm to prioritize investigations. The model produces a 1-100 risk score from 87 inputs, including prior reports, Medicaid claims, and address changes.
731 words, about 4 min4A US Subpoena for EU Employee Data
EuroStaff GmbH, a German subsidiary of a US software company, receives a US grand jury subpoena requiring production of emails and HR records for 40 employees in Munich and Berlin. The data are stored in a Frankfurt data center.
705 words, about 4 min5Reporting a Gender-Proxy Feature in a Hiring Algorithm
TalentSift sells an AI candidate-screening tool used by 300 employers. A data scientist discovers that the model's career-continuity feature penalizes candidates with employment gaps longer than six months.
732 words, about 4 min