Our Data Needs a Bodyguard!

Today’s data economy is stacked against individuals

Even with modern data rights on paper, most people cannot be expected to manage all their data relationships across banks, healthcare providers, retailers and digital platforms. Consent dialogs, access requests and policy updates quickly become unmanageable and this shifts the balance of power towards large organisations that run sophisticated data operations. Human centric data advocates argue that without new roles in the ecosystem, individuals will increasingly be outmatched and under-represented leading to a critical and unfair imbalance.

Intermediaries can rebalance power and unlock new value

The MyData white paper and related work highlight the role of “personal data intermediaries” or “data operators” that act on behalf of individuals to manage permissions, negotiate terms and route data between services under user control. European policy discussions on data governance and “data altruism organisations” similarly point to trusted data institutions that enable people to share data for public benefit within defined frameworks. The vision is a layer of independent entities that serve as bodyguards and brokers for personal data, reducing friction while increasing trust.

Build and nurture trusted intermediaries, not just more platforms

If every organisation expects individuals to manage relationships one‑to‑one, the data ecosystem will remain complex and fragile. Supporting or becoming a credible intermediary means committing to clear fiduciary‑like duties to the person, transparent governance, and interoperability with others in the ecosystem. For platform owners and regulators, this is a chance to design service models where empowered individuals, represented by capable “bodyguards”, can unlock new services without surrendering control.

If you want to explore how intermediaries could fit into your data ecosystem – as partners, enablers or new products – use our Contact us form and we can shape the trust opportunities together.