I think we should change the terminology to avoid confusion. This isn't
necessarily about "personal data" but about "user data" as the manifesto
title suggests. (in most occurrences of the text, it simply menas to
write "their data")
Here are my suggestions attached
--
Hugo Roy
FSFE Legal Team Deputy Coordinator
FSFE French Team Coordinator
Support Free Software, sign up! https://fsfe.org/support
1. Control of user data
The data that someone stores should be under control of this
person. Everybody should be able to decide whom to grant
direct access to their data.
2. Know where the data is stored
Everybody should be able to know: where their data is
physically stored, how long, in what country, and what laws
apply. It is recommended to have a personal server for the
user data in the long term.
3. Right to leave
Everybody should always be able to extract and delete their
data at any time without being locked in to a specific
vendor's data format.
4. Control access
Everybody should be able to know, choose and control who has
access to their data to see or modify it.
<!-- ↑ This is redundant with 1. -->
5. Choose the conditions
If someone let others access their data, then the user selects
the license and conditions.
<!-- I think this is alright. The user data manifesto is not about
copyright, etc. We all agree cpyright in its current state is
alienating and that free software is good. This sentence does not
contradict that and does not make an apology for someone choosing
to distribute proprietary software. But I think that would be a
mistake to have that argument here, it is not the goal. This
document does not focus on the behaviour of the user, it tries to
give more freedom and rights to the user by giving responsibility
and obligations to the service provider. So let's not miss the
goal and focus on that, instead of also trying to address
different issues. -->
6. Protect the data from loss
Everybody should be able to protect their data against
surveillance and to federate their data for backups to prevent
data loss or for any other reason.
<!-- I don't see how it is connected. The backup and federation
argument is redundant with 3. -->
7. Use it optimally
Everybody should be able to access and use their data at all
times with any device they choose and in the most convenient
and easiest way for them.
<!-- I wonder wether it is necessary to have that here. -->
8. Server software transparency
Server software should be free software so that the source
code of the software can be inspected to confirm that it works
as specified.
<!-- I still have problems with this point but right now I do not
know exactly what to say about it. -->
