The Stichting Nederlandse Datakluis emerged from a collaboration between the five major media companies in the Netherlands (DPG Media, Mediahuis, NPO, RTL and Talpa Network). They share the vision that in a few years' time, personal data and usage data will no longer be stored in central systems of providers, but in a personal environment of the user himself. Putting consumers back in control of their data is of course also Athumi's vision.
Over the next two years, a series of concrete pilots will be used to investigate how every Dutch person will receive a data vautl. The collaboration between the Stichting Nederlandse Datakluis and Athumi includes technological support, as well as the sharing of knowledge and experiences.
Athumi – formerly the Flemish Data Utility Company – has been working with personal data vaults in Flanders for more than 2 years, making Flanders the first region in the world to offer this operationally for its citizens.
Björn De Vidts, acting CEO Athumi:
This - literally - groundbreaking collaboration with the five major Dutch media companies marks an important step for Athumi in promoting data innovation on a European scale. Together we set the standard for offering innovative personalized services in a unified European data market where consumers retain control and transparency over what happens with their data.
The collaboration between the Dutch media companies and Athumi will start in January 2024 and is prompted by a growing awareness among European citizens about the importance of their data and privacy. A 2021 survey by the DDMA (the association for data and marketing in the Netherlands) shows that 89% of consumers want more control over their personal data. Dutch media companies share this vision and in the past year have started researching and developing the possibility for consumers to store and manage their personal data via a personal data vault.
The Stichting Nederlandse Datakluis, funded by media parties and the European Union, will start developing a prototype, which will be tested before the summer of 2024. The ambition extends beyond the Dutch borders and the media sector, and the aim is broad adoption in both commercial and public sectors. In addition to Athumi, other parties also contribute, including the Belgian startup DataVillage and the Dutch startup Muse.
Martijn Van Dam, director of Stichting Nederlandse Datakluis:
We believe that the unique combination with Athumi's technological expertise is crucial to realize our ambition: creating a universal standard for secure and decentralized personal data management. This collaboration goes beyond Dutch borders or the media sector and will influence privacy and data security standards.
The ultimate goal is to widely introduce the personal data vault to the Dutch public in 2025, based on the results of experiments and tests that will take place in the coming year.
Stichting Nederlandse Datakluis
Stichting Nederlandse Datakluis was created as an initiative by the five major media companies in the Netherlands: DPG Media, Mediahuis, NPO, RTL and Talpa Network. They share the vision that in a few years' time, personal data and usage data will no longer be stored in central systems of providers, but in a personal environment of the user himself. That is why they want to conduct research into its applicability together. The Foundation coordinates that research and develops the data vault as a neutral utility that is accessible and usable by everyone.
Athumi
Athumi, the Flemish data utility company, is an innovative player that plays a leading role in the world of data collaboration and digital transformation. At the core of its mission lies the belief that data is the backbone of modern societies and economies. Founded with the aim of making more data more usable for more companies, Athumi facilitates the exchange of data between companies, governments and consumers. Athumi provides the crucial backbone for these data flows. Athumi is, as it were, an independent third party, a data intermediary, that supports both companies and governments in using personal data and confidential data and thus helps create added value.
Solid
The Athumi Pods (Personal Online Datastores), based on the open standard Solid, form a digital data vault infrastructure that allows data to be managed decentrally. As a pioneer in Flanders, Athumi has invested in a production-ready infrastructure, which ensures the principle of control over its own data.