Scott - great points. I'd like to add to it if I may:
With Personal Directory, I am able to store my personal data and share it with an external source - they copy that information. At this point, they "own" that copy of the information right? No problem here - I may WANT them to have a copy.
Ok, so Personal Directory becomes a mechanism for me to easily share information. It's really a facilitator. In that same respect, I can *drop* an external source from receiving UPDATES to my information. Here's where there's some semblence of control comes in.
Now granted, once that external source has a copy of my information they can do what they please with it. But lets back up a second. Of course for me to share my personal information I would "demand" specific conditions such as what happens to that information once *copied*, revocation of that information etc.
So, before I even share my information I would set (or expect) specific rules on how that information is used and maintained. For instance, I may share information to a specific goal and only that specific goal (ie, my mailing address to FedEx to deliver whatever to me). If they use my information for anything but that - I could find recourse within a) the courts b) an arbitrator c) some prearranged system.
(Of course the problem for me would be to find out if and when they used my information in any other way).
Another thing about *copied* information is its relevance. You can copy my driver's license info but if I move, some of that information becomes irrelevant and unusable (perhaps). So without the updates, information grows old and stagnant. Again, there can be some rules set that companies must "purge" their systems of this type of information...
So if I close the ability for updates to occur between my Personal Directory and an external source, that information will become old and stagnant and not that valuable.
So we can have 2 mechanisms to help us "control" our personal information.
1) rules governing how that information is to be used once I share it with someone
2) the aging of information and it's irrelevance over time
I think with some intelligent discussions on these 2 points, we can make great headway into the managing of personal information in the Digital Age.
Regards,
Peter J Strifas
PS - these rules do not have to be laws. They can be "contracts" between individuals and external sources like any other business relationship. |
