Tasks of the organisation
Maintaining the database schema
One of the most important tasks in providing a useful dataset is to control the data in the database. This is called the schema. The NGO needs to be the central point for coordinating this information so that it is useful to all.
Auditing data consumers
We want to make it easy to donate data. People need to be able to automatically donate their data to data consumers that meet certain criteria, e.g. regarding their CO2 consumption. These criteria need to be verified. The aim is to organise this auditing process together with our allied NGOs.
Enabling the market
The organisation will act as a market enabler - both organisationally and technically. As such, the organisation will not do business in this market, but will enable data providers and data consumers to trade. In the market we will enable
- Services to evaluate the data locally to provide better services.
- Users to donate data for (market) research based on verified criteria
The organisation acts as a gatekeeper for access to user data and never handles or knows the actual data of the users. As we work on behalf of the data providers, our primary goal is to protect the integrity of their privacy. This must always be our guiding principle when formulating the rules for the market.
Developing the infrastructure
Both technology and the environment need to grow. The organisation will coordinate these efforts by introducing democratic tools to involve all data providers in this process.
All the software we create will be open source. This will allow any interested party to participate in the development. The NGO will act as the maintainer of the official version of the software, guaranteeing the quality of the software and the integrity of the user’s privacy.
Giving the privacy seal
It is important that users can easily understand whether an application or service they want to buy or use meets our standards. The privact seal will help with this. Just as an organic food label helps you buy the right vegetables, the privact label helps you use the right technology. The organisation will grant this label.
Implementing a business model
Doing all the above will obviously cost money. The NGO therefore needs to generate income to become sustainable. There are two main sources of income, both of which are charged to data consumers:
- Fee for auditing and using the seal
- A fee for using the infrastructure to access user data - something like a per survey fee.