Online business Toolkit

Whose data is it anyway?

Leader ZDNet.co.uk

Published: 13 Jun 2007 17:57 BST

Corporations and governments are exceptionally good at logging and storing the minutiae of our online and offline lives. They are keen to argue that giving up personal data is the price we pay for customised services, but it is hard — in fact impossible — for us to know how that data is being used, or to make any sort of cost-benefit analysis.

Privacy campaigners have long questioned whether Google, the poster child for individual data use in a connected world, has fallen foul of its "Don't Be Evil" mantra in this regard; now regulators in Europe are taking an interest, too. Google is smart in many ways: fully aware of the danger of losing our trust, it has offered several olive branches to the EU and other concerned parties. A commitment to make anonymous its search logs after 18 months is a good start.

However, Google's attitude — shared with industry and regulators alike — is that it is the de facto manager and owner of any data harvested from users. The search specialist is undoubtedly keen to be seen as open and flexible about how it stores and manages data but, until now, there has been little ambiguity around who was in control.

But this week, Google has shown signs that it is reconsidering the entire basis of data ownership, a move that may help prevent many of the worst-case scenarios campaigners have warned about. The search specialist has said it is looking at ways to make data more transparent to the individuals who created it — and, in this world view, ultimately own it. Us.

While not making any firm commitments, Google's global privacy counsel admitted that the company was looking into the concept of a privacy dashboard or control panel for personal data. With this technology, we could see what data the company has on us and even set limits on what it can do with that information.

This is an excellent idea, and one that regulators and law-makers should consider with care. Even if the great and the good move with their customary caution, where Google goes others are forced to follow. The vast majority of users and customers will probably never make use of a digital dashboard were one to be introduced, but at least knowing it's there if needed will help engender trust. Organisations are gradually coming to realise that, when it comes to data transparency, this time — it's personal.