Increasing Transparency and Privacy for Online Social Network Users – USEMP Value Model, Scoring Framework and Legal

Abstract

In this paper we present research results from the multi-disciplinary EU research project USEMP (USEMP is a project funded from EU research framework, additional information about project scope and deliverables are available at project’s public website at: http://www.usemp-project.eu/). In particular, we look at the legal aspects of personal data licensing and profile transparency, the development of a personal data value model in Online Social Networks (OSNs) and the development of disclosure scoring and personal data value frameworks. In the first part of the paper we show how personal data usage licensing and profile transparency for OSN activities provides for Data Protection by Design (DPbD). We also present an overview of the existing personal data monetization ecosystem in OSNs and its possible evolutions for increasing privacy and transparency for consumers about their OSN presence. In the last part of the paper, we describe the USEMP scoring framework for personal information disclosure and data value that can assist users to better perceive how their privacy is affected by their OSN presence and what the value of their OSN activities is.