Personal data platform

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, from a user by a processor, a plurality of personal data management policies for the user that are unique to the user, the personal data management policies governing how personal data of the user is to be managed, the personal data management policies indicating a type of personal data to be collected, storing of the personal data, and sharing of the personal data;

storing in a memory, by the processor, the personal data management policies in association with a situation and an identifier of the user;

receiving, by the processor, from the user a modification to the data management policies stored in the memory;

updating, by the processor, the data management policies stored in the memory based on the modification;

constructing, by the processor, a user profile for the user;

storing in the memory, by the processor, the user profile in association with the identifier of the user;

receiving, by the processor, personal data of the user collected in one or more situations by one or more collection devices;

determining, by the processor, whether the personal data complies with one or more of the personal data management policies;

if the personal data complies with the personal data management policies, then storing in the memory, by the processor, the personal data in association with the identifier of the user and the policy indicating the storing of the personal data;

processing, by the processor the personal data according to one or more of the data management policies with respect to processing personal data of the user in a specific situation;

the processing of the personal data comprises:

aggregating the personal data according to one or more of the personal data management policies,

filtering the personal data according to one or more of the personal data management policies,

characterizing the personal data according to one or more of the personal data management policies,

applying one or more data models to the personal data according to one or more of the personal data management policies, and

sharing the personal data with one or more third parties according to one or more of the personal data management policies; and

providing, by the processor, a centralized interface to the user for managing the personal data stored in the memory.

2. The method recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the processor, a modification to the personal data stored in the memory from the user; and

updating, by the processor, the personal data stored in the memory based on the modification.

3. The method recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the processor, from the user a modification to the user profile stored in the memory; and

updating, by the processor, the user profile stored in the memory based on the modification.

4. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein the personal data of the user is collected by an agent residing on the collection devices.

5. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein the personal data of the user comprises personal data generated by or concerning the user.

6. A system comprising:

a processor;

a storage medium for tangibly storing thereon program logic for execution by the processor, the program logic comprising:

first receiving logic executed by the processor for receiving, from a user, a plurality of personal data management policies for the user that are unique to the user, the personal data management policies governing how personal data of the user is to be managed, the personal data management policies indicating a type of personal data to be collected, storing of the personal data, and sharing of the personal data;

first storing logic executed by the processor for storing in the storage medium the personal data management policies in association with a situation and an identifier of the user;

user profile constructing logic executed by the processor for constructing a user profile for the user;

user profile storing logic executed by the processor for storing in the storage medium the user profile in association with the identifier of the user;

modification receiving logic executed by the processor for receiving, from the user, a modification to the data management policies stored in the storage medium;

updating logic executed by the processor for updating the data management policies stored in the storage medium based on the modification;

second receiving logic executed by the processor for receiving personal data of the user collected in one or more situations by one or more collection devices;

determining logic executed by the processor for determining whether the personal data complies with one or more of the personal data management policies;

second storing logic executed by the processor for, if the personal data complies with the personal data management policies, storing in the storage medium the personal data in association with the identifier of the user and the policy indicating the storing of the personal data;

processing logic executed by the processor for processing the personal data according to one or more of the personal data management policies with respect to processing personal data of the user in a specific situation;

the processing logic to process the personal data comprises logic to:

aggregate the personal data according to one or more of the personal data management policies,

filter the personal data according to one or more of the personal data management policies,

characterize the personal data according to one or more of the personal data management policies,

apply one or more data models to the personal data according to one or more of the personal data management policies,

share the personal data with one or more third parties according to one or more of the personal data management policies; and

providing logic executed by the processor for providing a centralized interface to the user for managing the personal data stored in the storage medium.

7. The system recited in claim 6 , wherein the program logic further comprises:

third receiving logic executed by the processor for receiving a modification to the personal data stored in the storage medium from the user; and

updating logic executed by the processor for updating the personal data stored in the storage medium based on the modification.

8. The system recited in claim 6 , wherein the program logic further comprises:

third receiving logic executed by the processor for receiving from the user a modification to the user profile stored in the storage medium; and

updating logic executed by the processor for updating the user profile stored in the storage medium based on the modification.

9. The system recited in claim 6 , wherein the personal data of the user is collected by an agent residing on the collection devices.

10. The system recited in claim 6 , wherein the personal data of the user comprises personal data generated by or concerning the user.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium tangibly storing computer program instructions capable of being executed by a computer processor, the computer program instructions defining the steps of:

receive, from a user by the processor, a plurality of personal data management policies for the user that are unique to the user, the personal data management policies governing how personal data of the user is to be managed, the personal data management policies indicating a type of personal data to be collected, storing of the personal data, and sharing of the personal data;

store in a memory by the processor the personal data management policies in association with a situation and an identifier of the user;

construct, by the processor, a user profile for the user;

store, in the memory, by the processor, the user profile in association with the identifier of the user;

receive, by the processor, from the user a modification to the data management policies stored in the memory;

update, by the processor, the data management policies stored in the memory based on the modification;

receive personal data of the user collected in one or more situations by one or more collection devices;

determine whether the personal data complies with one or more of the personal data management policies;

if the personal data complies with the personal data management policies, then store in the memory the personal data in association with the identifier of the user and the policy indicating the storing of the personal data;

process the personal data according to one or more of the personal data management policies with respect to processing personal data of the user in a specific situation;

wherein to process the personal data comprises:

aggregate the personal data according to one or more of the personal data management policies,

filter the personal data according to one or more of the personal data management policies,

characterize the personal data according to one or more of the personal data management policies,

apply one or more data models to the personal data according to one or more of the personal data management policies, and

share the personal data with one or more third parties according to one or more of the personal data management policies; and

provide a centralized interface to the user for managing the personal data stored in the memory.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium recited in claim 11 , wherein the computer processor is further operable when executing the instructions to:

receive a modification to the personal data stored in the memory from the user; and

update the personal data stored in the memory based on the modification.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium recited in claim 11 , wherein the computer processor is further operable when executing the instructions to:

receive from the user a modification to the user profile stored in the memory; and

update the user profile stored in the memory based on the modification.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium recited in claim 11 , wherein the personal data of the user is collected by an agent residing on the collection devices.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium recited in claim 11 , wherein the personal data of the user comprises personal data generated by or concerning the user.