Which issue is most closely associated with data ethics?

The correct answer focuses on privacy and consent, which are critical components of data ethics. Data ethics concerns the principles of how data should be collected, shared, and used, ensuring that individuals' rights are respected throughout these processes. Privacy refers to the protection of personal information, and consent is about the necessity of obtaining permission from individuals before their data is collected or used.

Ethical considerations in data management highlight the importance of handling sensitive information responsibly, ensuring individuals are aware of how their data is being utilized, and safeguarding against misuse or unauthorized access. This makes privacy and consent foundational elements of discussions surrounding data ethics, as they directly affect people's trust in organizations that collect and use their data.

Other options, while related to data, do not tackle the ethical implications of data usage. Data compression techniques, improving data transmission speed, and data visualization methods focus primarily on technical aspects of data handling rather than the ethical considerations that govern how data should be ethically managed and utilized in society.