Key Concerns
Ever since developing the first white paper on a "
Personal Data Services Model" I have been concerned to see how we can establish a social contract for personal data use: some people are more willing to share large amounts of personal data in return for some service; others seek more privacy and have to accept the cost in fewer service offers or more expensive solutions.
My concern is establishing, as a matter of public policy if need be, transparent and explicit terms and conditions for the use of personal data.
My approach at the time was considered revolutionary on two fronts:
- firstly to think that data could be managed and "consumed" as a service, rather than just as passive bags of bits and bytes that are hauled around and used without any concern abour provenance, ownership or access rights;
- secondly, to imagine a world where third party services might manage personal data in the same way that banks (are supposed to) manage our money - on our behalf, with full auditing, traceability of transactions and a strong liability model.