The Geeking Zone
Welcome to the technical heart of MyDataKey. Here you’ll find everything about how the Personal Data Asset Origination System (PDAOS) works, the architecture behind it, and why it matters for data ownership.
The Core Problem
Rights exist. Operational ownership and standing usually do not.
Data is Fragmented
Your data exists across hundreds of platforms, services, brokers, and inference pipelines. There’s no universal integration—and that’s not changing soon.
Rights Without Tools
Even with GDPR and CCPA, you can’t prove where your data appears, document attribution, or carry a defensible record across ecosystems.
Value Without Ownership
Your data was used. Value was created. But ownership was never transferred—and standing was never established. Until now.
💡 Our Insight
The missing layer isn’t another storage vault. It’s an operational method to originate a claim-object with scope, provenance, and confidence—so governance and enforcement can actually run.
What is PDAOS?
A Personal Data Asset Origination System (PDAOS) converts dispersed personal data presence into originated assets with clear scope, provenance references, confidence bands, and portability—producing a durable ownership record without requiring centralized storage.
Key distinction: A “data vault” (Personal Data Store) is about housing data. A PDAOS is about originating assets and standing. You can use both—but PDAOS doesn’t require a vault to work.
How It Works
A conservative workflow that scales without centralizing personal data.
Create Account
Sign up at /signup with your legal name and email. We collect only what’s needed to establish your identity.
Verify Identity
Complete selfie + government ID verification at /verify. This establishes you are who you claim to be—then we discard the images.
Sign Declaration
Electronically sign an attestation declaring your personal data as your asset. This creates the origination moment with timestamp and IP.
Set Posture
Define your data usage preferences: Allow, Limit, Restrict, or Block for categories like AI training, data brokers, and advertising.
Receive Certificate
Get a timestamped, verifiable ownership certificate with unique ID and QR code. This is your proof of origination.
{
"type": "mydatakey.ownership.certificate",
"version": "1.0",
"certificate_id": "MDK-2026-0112-A7X9",
"owner": {
"legal_name": "Jane Smith",
"verified": true,
"signed_at": "2026-01-12T14:32:00Z"
},
"posture": {
"ai_training": "block",
"data_brokers": "block",
"advertising": "restrict",
"profiling": "block"
},
"origination": {
"timestamp": "2026-01-12T14:32:00Z",
"ip": "recorded",
"location": "Germantown, MD, US"
},
"verify_url": "https://mydatakey.org/certificate-check?id=MDK-2026-0112-A7X9"
}
The Posture System
Your posture is a machine-readable declaration of how you want your data to be used. It’s not just a preference—it’s a formal signal that can be checked by platforms before processing.
You can set posture for different categories:
- AI Training — Can AI models train on your data?
- Data Brokers — Can your data be bought/sold?
- Advertising — Can your data fuel targeted ads?
- Profiling — Can companies build profiles about you?
- Facial Recognition — Can your face be used in FR systems?
- Analytics — Can your behavior be analyzed?
Clearinghouse Protocol
The optional PDAOS Clearinghouse is a machine-readable settlement layer. It allows platforms to check whether an originated claim exists for a data fingerprint before processing—returning rights posture metadata rather than asserting court-recognized ownership.
Notice of Origination
Cryptographically signed notices establish “actual knowledge” for platforms. Continued processing after notice increases accountability exposure.
Posture Query
Platforms hash candidate data and query: “Any originated claim for Hash_X?” Returns: Allow / Restrict / Deny / License / Attribute.
Compliance Receipts
Signed receipts prove the platform checked posture and acted accordingly—a practical shield for auditors and regulators.
Unlearning Triggers
If data is ingested against a “Block” posture, the protocol generates a formal trigger requesting mitigation from model weights.
⚖️ The Liability Edge
By providing machine-readable posture + compliance receipt, the Clearinghouse removes the excuse of “not knowing.” Once notice exists, processing shifts from accidental to accountable—increasing risk for platforms that ignore the signal.
FAQ
Does MyDataKey store my personal data?
No. MyDataKey is designed around origination and evidence references. We process limited metadata (hashes, timestamps, identifiers) but do not store your actual personal data. See our Trust & Transparency page.
Is an “ownership record” the same as a legal property title?
It’s an evidentiary and operational record: scope, provenance, confidence bands, and posture. Legal effects depend on applicable statutes, contracts, and jurisdiction. It establishes standing, not property title.
What makes this different from “Do Not Track”?
DNT was a browser signal that platforms could (and did) ignore. The Clearinghouse returns a machine-readable posture tied to originated assets with signed compliance receipts. That combination increases accountability.
Can this actually stop AI from training on my data?
No system can physically prevent all data use. But PDAOS establishes documented intent and creates accountability. Platforms ignoring a “Block” posture after notice face increased liability exposure. Our Opt-Out Hub provides direct tools too.
Why is Own Your Data Inc. a nonprofit?
Because our mission—helping people own their data—conflicts with profit motives that depend on exploiting data. As a 501(c)(3), we’re accountable to our mission, not shareholders. Learn more about us.
Ready to Dive Deeper?
Read the full technical specification or start your own ownership journey today.