"MyTerms" draft standard wants to fix what Do Not Track couldn't

The proposed IEEE P7012 standard seeks to resolve the failure of previous voluntary privacy controls by introducing machine-readable privacy contracts. Unlike the deprecated Do Not Track feature, which relied on voluntary compliance and ultimately failed, this new framework establishes a structured, two-party agreement between users and service providers. By shifting the dynamic so that online services must agree to user-imposed terms, the standard aims to restore individual agency in digital interactions, ensuring that privacy preferences are respected through a formalized, mutually accepted contract rather than ignored requests. At its core, the initiative treats individuals as first parties who can select from standardized privacy agreements, such as opt-out clauses for tracking, while service providers act as the second party. This approach focuses on the technical layer of interaction, allowing various stakeholders to implement their own solutions that adhere to these universal standards. The system relies on digital signatures to formalize agreements, facilitating a streamlined negotiation process where users declare specific requirements. This structure provides a clear, enforceable mechanism for privacy respect without requiring bespoke negotiations for every individual interaction. This development is highly relevant to open data because it demonstrates how standardized, machine-readable protocols can empower individuals to control their personal information in an open web ecosystem. By creating a public library of privacy terms and a transparent method for expressing preferences, the standard supports greater transparency and accountability in data handling. It offers a scalable model for balancing commercial data usage with user rights, showing how open standards can effectively mediate complex privacy negotiations and foster trust in data-driven services.

Source: techspot.com
Published on 2025-03-26

"MyTerms" draft standard wants to fix what Do Not Track couldn't

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