Complete Ownership Over Your Data is the New 31st Human Right
In 1948, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was established by the United Nations (U.N.). The declaration consists of 30 Articles, each proclaiming basic rights that should be proscribed to everyone. Article One states, “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” We would live in quite the perfect world if every individual, company, and country adhered to this declaration. However, the U.N. doesn’t have authoritative control of such entities. Therefore, the U.N. can’t enforce these rights. Although, those who disregard any of the 30 human rights will have a poor reputation within the international community.
The 30 declared human rights all have something in common: it would be possible (albeit difficult) to apply them in a society that existed 400 years ago. That is, of the 30 rights, none make any references to the new technological outcomes since 1948 which could possibly inflict on one’s rights or make it necessary to proclaim new rights.
For example, there have been major leaps in advancement regarding human transportation. However, there’s no universal right declaring “everyone is entitled to a reliable form of transportation, for the necessary reasons of getting to work, school, or for medical emergencies.” Another feasible universal right could be, “no one shall be denied access to the internet for where it is available.”
Such rights, only appearing after a new technology impacts the world, aren’t officially proclaimed because physical infrastructure must be present on a large scale in order to make the rights universal. Roads and railways are needed for transportation, satellites and X amount of cables/wires are needed for internet connection.
With no regards to the limitations of infrastructure, there’s a new technological advancement which enables the proclamation of a 31st universal human right. The technology is blockchain, and it’s the most sovereign of all. Its popular characteristic of absolute decentralization allows it to exist without adhering to state borders. All the while operating without needing approval from a “select few.”
Being championed by humanity.co, the 31st right is, “everyone has the right to legal ownership of their inherent human data as property.”
Why we must take into consideration this 31st universal human right
Given that the declaration is dated back to 1948, new qualities of humanity have come into existence which need to be protected. Most notably, the individual’s personal data and information. Thanks to the internet, this quality is being disapprovingly publicized, hacked, and taken advantage of. Data and information of a person is being sold without their consent, and worse, without them even acknowledging it.
“The human data marketplace represents an estimated $150B to $200B annually. Our inherent human data is being bought and sold without our consent, authorization, consideration, or compensation… One individual’s electronic medical history can be sold for hundreds of dollars to multiple buyers, in different markets across the world multiple times per year.” hu-manity.co
One might claim, “so what? I’m careful with what I share on the internet. None of my personal information is out there in the digital world that I deem important or too private.” However, there’s more (much more) to the internet and this digital world than just social media and Google.
“Inherent human datasets also includes our geospatial data, driver and vehicle history, consumer spending habits, medical history, travel, dining, and recreational habits.” hu-manity.co
With the advent of computer technology, large data sets can be analyzed and turned into trends, behaviors, patterns, etc. of internet users. The data is then collected and uniquely packaged together to sell to companies. Companies then use this data to better understand the consumer market, who to sell to, how to improve sales, and so on.
Your data (which let’s face it, this day in age is more representative of you than those items in your “nostalgia box”) is being bought, and someone other than you is profiting from the sale.
Establishing #31: “Everyone has the right to legal ownership of their inherent human data as property”
The team at hu-manity.co are working on proclaiming this 31st universal human right by utilizing blockchain technology to better establish our personal data and information as property:
Hu-manity.co has developed proprietary technology that identifies existing legal corridors in privacy regulations and has designed new intelligent contracts on blockchains which humans can use to negotiate new terms of consent and authorization with corporations so that inherent human data can be respected as legal property. Hu-manity.co’s global inherent Human Data Consent and Authorization Blockchain (HD-CAB) is built on a “chain of chains” strategy combining Ethereum and other fabrics.
A blockchain can be incorporated to better manage one’s “big data.” Your digital footprint would all be stored securely on the blockchain. Smart contracts based off the Ethereum blockchain would be employed to let you authorize 3rd parties to be able to access your digital data. You would not only be aware of who has which data, but also in control of its distribution. With blockchain and smart contracts, alongside other technologies like A.I. and cryptography, your data can become your property.
The #My31 app
Hu-manity.co has an app for Android devices (app for iOS devices is currently in beta) called #My31. The goal with the app is to conceptualize how one can have legal ownership over their data as property. Within the app, “you will be able to decide where, how and if your data is used by third parties and companies.”
Digital property is becoming just as important to have ownership over than physical property. That’s why using hu-manity.co’s #My31 app as a tool to safeguard and manage all of an individual’s digital data will be a considerable course of action for many in the near future. Once people realize that they can start taking control back, an official proclamation of this 31st human right would be inevitable.
For more information on hu-manity.co, check out their easily comprehensible white paper here.
