This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Personal data service" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (February 2026) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
A personal data service (PDS) gives the user a central point of control for their personal information (e.g. interests, contact information, affiliations, preferences, friends). The user's data attributes being managed by the service may be stored in a co-located repository, or they may be stored in multiple external distributed repositories, or a combination of both. Attributes from a PDS may be accessed via an API. Users of the same PDS instance may be allowed to selectively share sets of attributes with other users. A data ecosystem is developing where such sharing among projects or "operators" may become practicable.[1]
The concept of a PDS can be differentiated from another closely related term, personal data store. "A personal data store is a physical repository for data over which an individual exerts access control. Again, the term itself does not imply where such a store lives on the network (i.e., in the cloud, on a local device, in a smart card, on a SIM, etc.)".[2] The word "store" implies that a personal data store actually stores personal data,[3] whereas the emphasis of a PDS is on providing a single point of control.[4] In summary, a 'personal data store' always stores data whereas, whereas a personal data service may or may not.
Examples
[edit]The Locker Project was an open source, JavaScript-based, PDS with a centralized underlying attribute store that exists on a person's personal computer as well as an API to support local applications.
The Higgins project was an open-source project that included a personal data store and identity services.
Personal, Inc. was a consumer personal data service and identity management system for individuals.
Mydex is a commercial personal data store that became an identity provider for GOV.UK Verify.[5]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Langford, Joss. "Understanding MyData Operators" (PDF). mydata. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
- ^ Reed, Drummond. "Revision: "Personal Data Service" AND "Personal Data Store" Go Together".
- ^ Reed, Drummond. "Out with "Personal Data Store", In with "Personal Data Service"".
- ^ Trevithick, Paul. "Personal Data Service vs. Personal Data Store".
- ^ Middleton, Kulsoom (2015-01-27). "Profile: Mydex - helping you to take control of your personal data". techSPARK. Retrieved 2026-02-10.
External links
[edit]- "Unlocking the Value of Personal Data: From Collection to Usage" (PDF). World Economic Forum. 2013. Retrieved 2016-01-08.
- New market for 'empowering personal data services "will transform relationships between customers and brands" - Ctrl-Shift