ArcBlock has joined MyData Global to help make user-controlled data a reality.

ArcBlock, a leading platform for DApps, Blockchains, and DLTs, has officially joined MyData Global, the leading international nonprofit, based in Helsinki, Finland focused on empowering individuals by improving their rights to self-determination regarding their personal data.

As an organization, MyData Global is a leading voice behind enabling users to control their data and has more than 100 organization members worldwide from over 50 countries. MyData focuses on using a human-centric approach to personal data that recognizes industries’ need for data-driven innovations with strong digital human rights where users decide when and where their data is used. When the sharing of personal data is based on trust as well as on a balanced relationship between the individual and organizations, MyData believes that this approach benefits individuals, businesses, and society at large.

ArcBlock joins MyData

ArcBlock is unique in the decentralized identity and DApp industry offering a first of its kind fully decentralized platform for developers and teams that brings together Decentralized Identity (DID), Blockchain and DLT technologies, and Self-Sovereign Data Services. In doing so, developers and businesses can enable users to have complete control of their data, clear separation of the data and computation, build up a token economy-driven data market rather than allow large companies in control, has been the long-time vision of ArcBlock. The ABT Node and Blocklet technology provided by ArcBlock makes developers achieve this vision together much easier.

Already an active member in the Decentralized Identity Community including the Decentralized Identity Foundation and W3C's CCG, ArcBlock is actively working with other leading technology companies to build the specifications and technologies to make decentralized identity a reality. By joining MyData, ArcBlock is taking the next step in its mission to become a global leader in decentralized identity and delivering the technologies and tools that power the apps, websites, or services where users decide what happens with their data. The MyData community is well aligned with ArcBlock’s core principles focused on enabling anyone to own and control their data.

User Controlled Data

ArcBlock will work with community members, MyData operators and technology companies to help power services and the decentralized web. ArcBlock is committing to MyData’s core principles through the use of technology, internationally recognized standards, and engagement with organizations and governments worldwide focusing on:

• Human-centric control of personal data: give users the ability to control who has access to their data and how it can be used and shared.
• Individual as the point of integration: create new data-based knowledge tools without compromising privacy nor adding to the amount of personal data in circulation.
• Individual empowerment: be able to securely manage personal data.
• Portability access and re-use: give users the ability to port their personal data.
• Transparency: user of personal data should always be done through consent and be done in a way that the user knows where and how it’s being used.
• Interoperability: interoperability of data, APIs, protocols, apps, and infrastructure.

Robert Mao, CEO of ArcBlock said, “we are excited to announce that ArcBlock has joined MyData and to work together with other like-minded governments, organizations and expand our partnerships with the community to make the decentralized web reality. We’ve always been focused on enabling users to have control of their data, and ArcBlock has been building a platform and ecosystem that is focused not only on developers, but on users where data portability, transparency, and interoperability and standard with every service. MyData and ArcBlock together can make that a reality.”

“Today’s personal data has increasingly significant social, economic, and practical value. Nevertheless, individuals have little or no control over how data about them and their activities is collected or being used,” said MyData. With ArcBlock, it is becoming much easier for companies and organizations to create services that use a more human-centric approach and sharing of data becomes a collaboration between the service provider and the user.

Privacy by Design

ArcBlock recently released ABT Node 1.1, ArcBlock's latest generation of its decentralized platform that allows developers and companies to easily achieve GDPR compliance and offers a marketplace of ready-made Blocklets that offer anyone the ability to one-click install tools, components, and DApps where decentralized identity is a standard feature.