After WhatsApp updated its terms and privacy policies, most of us realised the little control we have over our data, and the only way we could protect it was by letting go of a service that connects us to hundreds of others.?
But what if you had control over what data you want to let go and what data you want to keep safe? In this data-hungry world something like this sounds too good to be true, but the creator of the internet, Tim Berners-Lee, has developed a platform that would allow users to do just that.?
Tim Berners-Lee's startup, Inrupt, has developed an open-source software project Solid which will allow users to control their personal data in ¡®Pods¡¯ or personal online data stores.?
The company is run by John Bruce. Their goal -- shifting data ownership?with users instead of companies, while keeping the development process of the websites the same.?
Solid works on similar standards and methods that have been used over the years to develop websites, with the only change being shifting the power of data in the user¡¯s hands, which will be stored in the aforementioned Pods.?
As a concept, Pods are similar to email services where specific ID links to your content. The pods are free for users and will be initially sponsored by the organizations adopting Solid¡¯s interface.?
On an enterprise level, Solid offers these Pods on a server managed by Solid. The developers will have to develop apps using Solid SDK to access data from the Pods -- data that has been permitted to be shared, for example paying taxes or accessing old medical files.?
According to a report by the New York Times, Solid is working with the National Health Service on a pilot project for care of dementia patients that offers caregivers access to a wider view of a patient¡¯s well-being, preferences etc.
Each patient has a Solid pod with an ¡®All About Me¡¯ form that¡¯s submitted either by a patient or their authorised relative. It could list basic requests like help for tying shoelaces or going to the bathroom or information on how to comfort a patient when they¡¯re in distress. As of now, the project has enlisted 50 patients in the Manchester region which will be evaluated in a few months.?
In the end, it all depends on which app developers are ready to adopt this novel data-control mechanism, but if it does become mainstream, it could go a long way in helping preserve user data and keep it safe from being misused.?
With rising mistrust in big tech platforms like Facebook, Amazon, Google and others, and increasing awareness of people to have more control over what they share with online companies in exchange of free service, Tim Berners-Lee's "Pods" concept could be a fresh start in the Internet empowering people all over the globe and not just take them for a ride.