Aintno: Demonstration of Information Accountability on the Web

Information Accountability aims to encourage responsible use of information by combining clearly expressed usage policies with systems for detecting misuse, and offering the social tools to provide redress. Unlike conventional access control systems, accountable systems allow access to the data, but specify the purposes for which that access is allowed via policies. Information consumers, in such a system, are implicitly bound by a contract (social or legal) to those policies and should be able to provide an account of how the information owner´s data were used. However, most of the current systems on the Web are not accountable. We have developed a simplified information accountability model and built an experimental platform that allows individuals to explore how their information may be at risk. We present a scenario in which a person denied insurance can explore and determine exactly why he was rejected and what actions he can take to prevent such an action in the future. A number of open problems remain, including identifying necessary incentives for participants in an information accountability setting, determining the consequences of applying excessive usage restrictions, coping with information originating for arbitrary sources, and applying context to understanding how to interpret information.