Comments on: The Implications of “Data Portability” Under Repressive Regimes http://committeetoprotectbloggers.org/2008/01/08/the-implications-of-data-portability-under-repressive-regimes/ Free speech for bloggers worldwide Thu, 28 Aug 2008 19:38:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: Curt http://committeetoprotectbloggers.org/2008/01/08/the-implications-of-data-portability-under-repressive-regimes/#comment-1560 Curt Tue, 08 Jan 2008 20:43:04 +0000 http://committeetoprotectbloggers.org/2008/01/08/the-implications-of-data-portability-under-repressive-regimes/#comment-1560 Alright, Chris. Let's say there will be no automatic enlistment of a user into a system of data portability. (I wonder, but let's posit this as a given.) What you wind up with in regions with repressive governments, and what you wind up with considering the many companies who've colluded with security services in these countries, are users who are not well-versed in the niceties and implications of these things. So, they sign up for OpenID (or any kind of data portability...thingee is I believe the technical term), not understanding what it is and find their information accessible from a host of different points they would not be were it necessary to sign up for each service differently. They discover this in an interrogation room, when it is much, much too late. Like I said, I hope to see more coverage of this particular issue. I am doing my best to get up to speed but it's difficult. Most people won't. Alright, Chris. Let’s say there will be no automatic enlistment of a user into a system of data portability. (I wonder, but let’s posit this as a given.) What you wind up with in regions with repressive governments, and what you wind up with considering the many companies who’ve colluded with security services in these countries, are users who are not well-versed in the niceties and implications of these things. So, they sign up for OpenID (or any kind of data portability…thingee is I believe the technical term), not understanding what it is and find their information accessible from a host of different points they would not be were it necessary to sign up for each service differently. They discover this in an interrogation room, when it is much, much too late. Like I said, I hope to see more coverage of this particular issue. I am doing my best to get up to speed but it’s difficult. Most people won’t.

]]> By: Chris Saad http://committeetoprotectbloggers.org/2008/01/08/the-implications-of-data-portability-under-repressive-regimes/#comment-1559 Chris Saad Tue, 08 Jan 2008 18:35:48 +0000 http://committeetoprotectbloggers.org/2008/01/08/the-implications-of-data-portability-under-repressive-regimes/#comment-1559 Curt, just because DataPortability makes a connection *possible* does not mean the connection is automatic and lacking any privacy control. Each time a new application wants access to your personal data, the user is prompted and asked for permission - just like OpenID and OAuth work. This is not a free-for-all. It's a technical initiative to give users control to build bridges between the vendors/apps they trust. Curt, just because DataPortability makes a connection *possible* does not mean the connection is automatic and lacking any privacy control.

Each time a new application wants access to your personal data, the user is prompted and asked for permission - just like OpenID and OAuth work.

This is not a free-for-all. It’s a technical initiative to give users control to build bridges between the vendors/apps they trust.

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