Comments on: On data shadows and giving up control http://www.mediainfluencer.net/2008/05/on-data-shadows-and-giving-up-control/ helping people break out of pigeonholes since 2003 Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:15:59 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Crosbie Fitch http://www.mediainfluencer.net/2008/05/on-data-shadows-and-giving-up-control/comment-page-1/#comment-2079 Crosbie Fitch Wed, 21 May 2008 11:23:49 +0000 http://www.mediainfluencer.net/2008/05/on-data-shadows-and-giving-up-control/#comment-2079 Oh, well, that explains it then. :) I'll have another go at trying to comprehend what the heck the Mine! is in due course. Oh, well, that explains it then. :)

I’ll have another go at trying to comprehend what the heck the Mine! is in due course.

]]> By: Adriana http://www.mediainfluencer.net/2008/05/on-data-shadows-and-giving-up-control/comment-page-1/#comment-2078 Adriana Wed, 21 May 2008 11:12:51 +0000 http://www.mediainfluencer.net/2008/05/on-data-shadows-and-giving-up-control/#comment-2078 No, not really. :) No, not really. :)

]]> By: Crosbie Fitch http://www.mediainfluencer.net/2008/05/on-data-shadows-and-giving-up-control/comment-page-1/#comment-2077 Crosbie Fitch Wed, 21 May 2008 11:02:50 +0000 http://www.mediainfluencer.net/2008/05/on-data-shadows-and-giving-up-control/#comment-2077 Is the Mine! a means by which an individual can collect and control their statements about themselves or others, their intentions and interests, and make them available at a well known place, with discretion (according to who is granted permission to read them), such that they can be interrogated by others? Is the Mine! a means by which an individual can collect and control their statements about themselves or others, their intentions and interests, and make them available at a well known place, with discretion (according to who is granted permission to read them), such that they can be interrogated by others?

]]> By: Adriana http://www.mediainfluencer.net/2008/05/on-data-shadows-and-giving-up-control/comment-page-1/#comment-2076 Adriana Wed, 21 May 2008 10:02:50 +0000 http://www.mediainfluencer.net/2008/05/on-data-shadows-and-giving-up-control/#comment-2076 Crosbie, I don't think that's what I am saying at all. Maybe that's what you see but I don't recognise what I am trying to do in your words. Sorry. I'll write more on the topic of data etc. And ultimately, time (and users) will tell whether the Mine! can help. Crosbie, I don’t think that’s what I am saying at all. Maybe that’s what you see but I don’t recognise what I am trying to do in your words. Sorry.

I’ll write more on the topic of data etc. And ultimately, time (and users) will tell whether the Mine! can help.

]]> By: Crosbie Fitch http://www.mediainfluencer.net/2008/05/on-data-shadows-and-giving-up-control/comment-page-1/#comment-2075 Crosbie Fitch Wed, 21 May 2008 09:08:06 +0000 http://www.mediainfluencer.net/2008/05/on-data-shadows-and-giving-up-control/#comment-2075 The problem we have today is not that merchants collect and exchange personal data, but that there is so little market demand for merchants to demonstrate discretion and confidence - which would be helped if there was an easy means by which it could be demonstrated. Ultimately, it's probably all just a market anyway, i.e. a market where the product is 'your data' and merchants compete to sell the best quality and most comprehensive sets thereof. You are effectively suggesting that the individual should enter this market, and outcompete the existing merchants, which shouldn't be too difficult given the individual is an authoritative and complete source. However, that doesn't mean the individual can remove some of their 'product' from the market. They can only control what they supply, and if they don't supply, the market will step back in. I believe a better defence than outcompeting in the supply of one's personal information, is to create a market in which virtual identities may operate. Thus the reputation and 'personal' information of a virtual identity remains associated with that virtual identity rather than its human operator. Merchants don't necessarily want the personal information of human beings, just that of those identities with whom they do business. (In other words, go shopping with a burqa and an untied credit card.) Then as a double-whammy, virtual identities can also publish their complete and authoritative 'personal' information in order to retain control over it. There'll then be a market for analysis and evidence that ties virtual identities together, but we'll leave the solution to that for another day. The problem we have today is not that merchants collect and exchange personal data, but that there is so little market demand for merchants to demonstrate discretion and confidence – which would be helped if there was an easy means by which it could be demonstrated.

Ultimately, it’s probably all just a market anyway, i.e. a market where the product is ‘your data’ and merchants compete to sell the best quality and most comprehensive sets thereof.

You are effectively suggesting that the individual should enter this market, and outcompete the existing merchants, which shouldn’t be too difficult given the individual is an authoritative and complete source. However, that doesn’t mean the individual can remove some of their ‘product’ from the market. They can only control what they supply, and if they don’t supply, the market will step back in.

I believe a better defence than outcompeting in the supply of one’s personal information, is to create a market in which virtual identities may operate. Thus the reputation and ‘personal’ information of a virtual identity remains associated with that virtual identity rather than its human operator.

Merchants don’t necessarily want the personal information of human beings, just that of those identities with whom they do business.

(In other words, go shopping with a burqa and an untied credit card.)

Then as a double-whammy, virtual identities can also publish their complete and authoritative ‘personal’ information in order to retain control over it.

There’ll then be a market for analysis and evidence that ties virtual identities together, but we’ll leave the solution to that for another day.

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