Our trust work

Trust is the foundation of a working data ecosystem

Inconsistent Requirements

Each data holder conducts its own trust review, creating inconsistent requirements. Startups must navigate a different application process with every platform they want to access.

Inconsistent Outcomes

Private, siloed trust decisions mean bad actors can continue operating in parts of the ecosystem undetected, leaving user data unprotected.

Lowers Choice

Inconsistent trust barriers reduce the number of legitimate, innovative solutions available to users.

The Risk

Fragmented Trust Creates Friction and Data Concentration

Today, each large platform holding personal data attempts to protect its users from phishing or impersonation attacks attempting to get access to sensitive personal data. But they each take their own approach, setting their own application processes and make their own decisions privately. This results in a great deal of friction, expense, and inconsistent outcomes.

The Opportunity

Shared Trust Infrastructure Enables Secure Data Portability

DTI is uniquely positioned to make trust decisions in the public benefit, with the Data Trust Registry. Lower risks and costs to large platforms motivate them to join, whereas small companies are enabled by reduced friction, delays and application overhead.

Publications

Trust framework documents

DTI developed common trust criteria specifically for personal data portability. Our process built from first principles but is also grounded in practices of the major platforms who already apply their own trust verification processes.

Risk Analysis

Threat Model

Understand which privacy and safety threats are raised by transferring personal data. Our analysis builds on cybersecurity threat models.

Read the Threat Model (PDF) →

Application

Trust Criteria

We evaluated and justified the criteria an organization could be asked to meet to be recognized as trustworthy in personal data transfers.

Read the Trust Criteria (PDF) →

Framework

Trust Model

Our resulting Trust Model can be used by any company evaluating third parties before allowing personal data access. We encourage use to improve consistency of protection and reduce unnecessary barriers.

Read the Trust Model (PDF) →

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