Proud to be part of the Global MyData scheme
For those interested in the wider context in which DataYogi exists, it is worth noting that the ideas and concepts behind DataYogi, and similar propositions, have been building up since the start of the commercial world wide web. Members of the DataYogi team have been participating and shaping these conversations, and the software development they drive, for over twenty years.
Many of these ideas coalesce and develop at MyData, (*) global not-for-profit that seeks to empower individuals with their personal data.
It is worth drawing out some of the key beliefs from that ecosystem, as they shape much of the thinking around DataYogi. For example:
- An individual should be empowered by their personal data. Data has real value and powers many useful activities; to fully access these upsides people need to move beyond ‘data protection’ (which is a given) to ‘data empowerment’.
- People should be the point of integration for data about themselves. When data about an individual is being shared, that individual or their delegate/agent should be in that flow in order to understand and approve it (or reject it).
- As a personal asset, data should be portable and free to move for individuals, and not subject to ‘lock-in’ by their providers. In this sense, it could be said that ultimately people will manage their data in ways similar to how they manage cash within a current bank account.
- People should have the right to earn a return on their data, just as they would with any other asset they control. This is likely to be more complex than people selling their data and then losing control of what happens downstream of that.
- When enough people have their own data built out in modern formats and systems, then Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence can be brought to bear to great effect on the ‘demand’ side. At present the vast majority of advanced practices such as these are being run by the supply side of intermediaries who gain from being middlemen between demand and supply.
- As people become empowered by their data, more equitable and balanced relationships will emerge between individuals and their suppliers, and many current harmful practices will disappear. One example would be the current dark patterns we see when advertisers and marketers seek to gain maximum consent for data access and sharing, and do so via deliberately confusing contracts, privacy policies, cookie pop ups and tick boxes.
(*) DataYogi is one of 37 organisations worldwide that have applied for, and been granted, the status of Certified MyData Operator. This is a relatively light touch process at present which will ramp up over time in breadth and depth of coverage and impact. More importantly, at this stage, this allows us to point to the emergence of a genuinely new industry category, and not just to an isolated business proposition.
