Together with people.io — part one
Over here at people.io HQ we’ve been thinking about how we can be as transparent as possible with each and every member of our community. Internally, we never shut up about our goal to give people ownership and control of their data. But this isn’t just our mission — it’s yours as well! So, we thought it was about time we clued you in on everything we’re doing to deliver your fundamental right to personal data ownership. After all, it’s only with your help that we stand a chance of delivering on our ambitious mission. With this in mind, we’ve put together a series of blog articles which will transform you into a people.io ‘data marshal’ (no hi-vis jacket required). Let us first set the scene for what’s to come…
When people.io was founded around three years back, the idea that people should own their data was a radical one (despite the fact that it sounds very sensible to us!). Looking back, it was very much the Wild West of Data: brands were hoovering up and storing any data they could find, without consent, and sometimes without any idea of how they would use it. This clearly wasn’t right or fair, or even efficient. We knew this was going to have to change — people.io was our solution as to how that change could be achieved.
Companies have been profiting from our data for eons and we felt it was time for people to have their share. Thus the people.io app was born with one fundamental principle: show people that their data is actually worth something. Central to this was our one-swipe, one-credit way of asking questions, which allowed you to see the connection between your data and its value in real time. And see it you did — demand for the app has been incredible.
But when reflecting on where we’re at now, we’ve come to an important realisation: we are telling you to take ownership of your data, but in order for that to truly happen you must be in the know of how your data is used from start to finish. If you don’t feel informed of all the behind-the-scenes processes here at people.io, then our vision will forever remain a mystery. Luckily, this step-by-step, easy-to-follow blog post series will act as a walkthrough of your story with people.io. By the end, you’ll graduate with flying colours as a fully-fledged people.io data marshal!
Your Story. Our Journey.
This is all part of our revamped educational project, which we’re calling Together with people.io. And together is the pivotal word here, as together-ness is at the very foundation of this company and its vision. We’ve even updated our vision statement to reflect this:
Together, we’re building a world in which every person has the opportunity to realise the value of their data.
By using our app and services, we can provide you with the tools and knowledge to take full control of your data. We can provide a platform for discussion and participation where there is a fair balance between people and companies. We cannot achieve this without you, because you are at the heart of every decision we make.
In the next post we will discuss how your answers to the questions are processed, and what we do with that information. Why you might see certain questions and why you might not see some — and it will be titled From Our Questions to Your Answers. This is putting you in control of your data at every step of the way.
