Securing the Internet of Things (IoT) Data Ownership

Abstract

<p>As the commercial use of IoT (Internet of Things) technology keeps spreading rapidly, so does<br>the involvement of individuals as data sources. Thus, it is crucial to understand the nature and<br>implications of data property factors in the IoT context to enable organisations to apply<br>ethically sustainable practices when defining data ownership. The study is based on Richard<br>O. Mason's PAPA framework from 1986, in which the question of intellectual property rights<br>is described as one of the most complex issues we face as a society. Based on our findings, this<br>statement still applies in modern IoT ecosystems. In this paper, the ownership and control of<br>information is clarified on conceptual and practical levels. We investigate the topic from the<br>following three perspectives: 1) organisational level, 2) technical level, and 3) ethical<br>ownership. Furthermore, we offer development proposals for the current IoT protocols, aiming<br>to support defining data ownership.<br></p>