Access to free, simple and profitable privacy solutions
Background
Project: OPERANDO
By creating an innovative, open-source privacy enforcement platform, the EU-funded project OPERANDO aims to give end-users complete control over their own personal data, allowing them to choose what is available to whom, where and when.
Considering the amount of personal information that is shared, exchanged and often required online, it is no surprise that many internet users are concerned about the amount of personal data some organizations hold on them, and who else may have access to this information.
The EU-funded OPERANDO project is developing an innovative privacy enforcement platform to enable users to manage their personal data from one place. The platform comprises a web-based dashboard where users can control who can have access to what data according to their own preferences, which will then be enforced for each of their devices.
OPERANDO has both a Business to Consumer (B2C) component and a Government to Citizen (G2C) component. For the B2C side, a browser extension (so far available for Google Chrome) has already been developed, along with an app, PlusPrivacy. Both protect online privacy, including on social networks.
The platform will be simple to use and free for the public. However, to make this model viable, it will be run as an independent privacy service provider (PSP), which means that it can charge online service providers (OSPs), who will have access to a cost-effective means to comply with privacy rules. Privacy regulators will have a means to conduct automated audits to check for compliance.
OPERANDO’s team sees this approach as a solution to the issue of assumed consent when people access online services and provide personal data. The platform is open source and will be made available to the community for constructive feedback and development beyond the project’s lifetime, thereby increasing the transparency of the privacy services as well as raising awareness of the platform. If effective, OPERANDO’s platform will finally offer internet users control over their own data with the use of explicit consent, while simultaneously ensuring OSP compliance with evolving data protection legislation.
This innovation was made possible by Israel’s continued participation in the official Horizon 2020 fund, managed in Israel by ISERD part of The Israel Innovation Authority (Formerly the Office of the Chief Scientist and MATIMOP). The initiative has taken Israeli R&D to the next level with the help of ground-breaking collaboration between scientists in Israel and Europe, as well as essential funding and support.
Project details
Project acronym: OPERANDO
Participants: UK (Coordinator), Israel, Italy, Germany, Romania, Spain, Greece
Project Reference N° 653704
Total cost: € 4 455 811
EU contribution: € 3 746 037
Duration: May 2015 to April 2018
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© European Union, 2017