1. The Case for
Personal Information Empowerment
The rise of the personal data store
It’s a question of when, not if
OpenTech 2010
David Alexander
Mydex Community Interest Company
Wherever possible, we believe that personal data should be
controlled by individual citizens themselves.
UK Conservative Party Manifesto, 13 April 2010
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2. Society is facing some big
challenges
 Information flow about people is increasing
– This happening between corporations, NGO’s, government departments, countries, individuals and
communities, much without control or approval
 Information exchanged is broadening and deepening
– Basic demographics, preferences, relationships, future plans, financial status, views and opinions,
transactions, education, career, medical history
 Accuracy of information on individuals is decreasing
– Cost of maintaining data is too high, dilution occurs through sharing and exchange
 Speed of information exchange is nearing real-time levels
– Impacting decisions, pricing, targeting, access and mobility
 Privacy is a central issue for people around the world
– Control over who has access what information and for what use is increasingly sensitive
 Proving identity and prevention of its theft are constant challenges
– Becoming a daily and time consuming challenge, determining how and what to verify is becoming
confusing
 Acquiring and proving trustworthiness is increasingly complicated and
error prone
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3. Individuals and organisations are
facing real but different challenges
Individuals Organisations
 How to administer and manage  Trust is eroding between individuals
personal data, preferences and and organisations
relationships  Customer churn increasing,
 How to minimise time required for perception of value offered is
benefits gained decreasing
 How to secure value from sharing  Cynicism is increasing and apathy
information and complacency declining
 How to meet their legal and  Customers sourcing their own
contractual obligations and protect solutions not waiting to be targeted
their rights in a cost effective,  Data volumes growing exponentially
efficient manner  Analytics and insight are not
 How to protect their identity and delivering fast enough
verify it to the level required  Privacy laws and data protection
legislation is increasingly demanding
and costly
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4. Personal Data Stores offer a
practical answer
 It’s where people can store information securely about any aspect
of their lives
 It’s a mechanism for sharing information which allows people to
choose who can…
…and explicitly and finely control what information is available to
whom
 It’s their master record that can feed and maintain other records
 It provides individuals with means of realising value from their
information
 It creates a networked ecosystem for service providers to develop
new services
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5. A Personal Data Store ecosystem provides fertile
ground for innovation
PDS Data
Service Feeds
Subscribers Aggregators Supermarkets
Providers Credit Cards
Educators
Exam Boards
iTunes
eBay eTailers
Service Service Telco / ISP
Members Subscribers Aggregators
Provider Providers
Content
Providers
Core services operation API’s and routing
Personal Data Stores – Hosted by certified PDS Service Providers
PDS Framework of Policy, Standards, Processes, API’s, Commercials
Oct-1-10 Mydex CIC All rights reserved 5

6. Developers will make the difference
 Build out the ecosystem platform
 Deploy the reference architecture
 Create innovative applications
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7. Mydex is focusing on making it happen
 Developing key components for the ecosystem
– Standards
– Trust Frameworks
– Data Model
 Delivering a core reference platform
 Bringing it alive through community prototype
 Providing education and awareness
 Operating as a social enterprise with a legally
enshrined social purpose to empower people
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8. Personal Data Stores
it’s a question of when not if
Discussion, questions
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