The internet has come a long way since Tim Berners-Lee invented the world wide web – the “www” – in 1989. Now, in an era of growing concern about privacy, he believes it’s time for us to reclaim our personal data.
Through their startup Inrupt, Berners-Lee and CEO John Bruce have created the Solid Pod – or Online Personal Data Store.
This allows people to keep their data in one central place and control which people and apps can access their data, rather than having it stored by apps or sites across the web. .
Users can get a Pod from a variety of providers from web stores like Amazon, or run their own server if they have the technical know-how. The main attraction to self-housing is control and privacy, Berners-Lee said.
Not only is user data safe from corporations and governments, but it’s less likely to be stolen by hackers, Bruce stated.
“I think we’ve all realized that the value of the web is embodied in the data that’s available within it,” he adds. “In this new world where you care about your data, it doesn’t live in large spaces that are profitable targets for attackers.”
Inrupt’s platform is being tested by the UK’s National Health Service and the government of the Belgian region of Flanders. The latter plans to use Pods to let its citizens choose how to share their personal data.
Tim said: “Owning your data and truly controlling your online commerce infrastructure is something that Web 3 will enable. Ultimately it will be something truly transformative for users.” Berners-Lee hopes his platform will return control to Internet users.
