MyData 101

What?

MyData is a human centred approach in personal data management that combines industry need to data with digital human rights. MyData is both an alternative vision and guiding technical principles for how we, as individuals, can have more control over the data trails we leave behind us in our everyday actions. The core idea is that we, you and I, should have an easy way to see where data about us goes, specify who can use it, and alter these decisions over time.

Why?

Personal data has increasingly significant social, economic, and practical value. The EU’s recent General Data Protection Regulation changes the landscape in which organisations operate. Organisations around the globe are busy exploring the opportunities of human­ centric personal data. Whole industries such as energy, health and well­being, or finance, are already being disrupted by this trend.

MyData is...

A Concept

Like Big Data, MyData is an umbrella term for a type of personal data management that encompasses many different projects and initiatives.

Interoperable

Like an email account, MyData operators can be hosted by many different parties, or even self-hosted. It is not one particular tool or company.

Work in Progress

Like mobile telephony, MyData will have succeeded when it is a global, accessible network available for everyone. This is what we are working towards.

MyData is not...

One Project

There are many initiatives around the world, ranging from technical to legal, that fall within the MyData framework, whether they use the term “MyData” or not.

Geographically Limited

While there are certain countries with more active MyData movements than others, they are all inspired by initiatives from around the world. MyData local hubs are spread on three continents, and co-operate together to make MyData a reality.

Another Data Silo

Born out of the Open Knowledge movement, MyData is being developed as an open standards platform that will facilitate both for-profit and not-for-profit data-based services.

Not enough? Read white papers to dig deeper.

Videos

Watch a 20-minute video of Antti “Jogi” Poikola explaining the concept and movement in Internetdagarna, Stockholm, winter 2017. See the slides for the talk.

Watch a 2-minute video for the basic info about MyData.