Dogs Go Pods: Context-dependent Access Control Rules for Sharing Personal Data of Humans and Pets

To advance self-determined data sharing, we present a novel paradigm for context-dependent access control for Solid, a specification for decentralized data stores (Pods) for secure sharing of personal data. Our approach enables dynamic, real-time updates to data access rights based on contextual information such as location, proximity, and behavior. Using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons and a mobile application, we demonstrate our contribution in a pet ownership scenario, where a BLE-enabled dog collar manages access to a dog’s data Pod. For example, the owner’s contact details become publicly accessible if the pet runs away; access to vaccination records are made available to customs officials when the dog crosses a country border; and additional contact information for arranging play dates is made available to other dog owners when two dogs interact frequently. Our demonstrator highlights the potential of context-dependent access control rules to enhance data privacy in everyday IoT environments, taking advantage of contextual triggers that can reduce end-user complexity. We discuss applications beyond pet ownership and outline future work to refine our system’s usability and performance.