Develop an App or Web Service for MyDataCan™
MyDataCan™ is a new platform that allows apps and web services to store and retrieve
personal information in
a repository owned by the user of the app or web service. Using MyDataCan™ for the storage
of personal
information can free apps and web services from security and breach concerns and can improve
user trust and
confidence. Participation in MyDataCan™ also empowers users and improves the overall data
sharing ecosystem.
Apps and web services may still hold and use some personal information independent from the person’s storage on MyDataCan, but sharing personal information with the user can help the user assemble more powerful and useful data and make data sharing more transparent.
Affiliation with MyDataCan™ does not impact the apps availability on the Apple App Store or Google Play or alter the way in which an app downloads from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
Apps and web services may still hold and use some personal information independent from the person’s storage on MyDataCan, but sharing personal information with the user can help the user assemble more powerful and useful data and make data sharing more transparent.
Affiliation with MyDataCan™ does not impact the apps availability on the Apple App Store or Google Play or alter the way in which an app downloads from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
how it works
A person signs into their MyDataCan™ account, which can be done from within an app or web
service that is affiliated
with MyDataCan, or can be done from the MyDataCan website. Once the person’s MyDataCan
is attached, apps or
web services affiliated with MyDatacan can then store or retrieve information from and into
the person’s
storage on MyDataCaTM (the person’s “datacan”) when the person uses the
app or web service.
An affiliated app or web service is restricted to agreed upon data exchanges and can only store or retrieve the agreed upon information. The specifics of that information are determined when the app or web service is approved to be affiliated with MyDataCan™.
The copy of information stored in a person’s private datacan is owned by the person and the person can use, view or delete the information as they deem appropriate. The person cannot change the values of the data that a particular app stored in their storage but they can provide different or additional information to other apps.
You can learn more about MyDataCan™ at https://mydatacan.org.
An affiliated app or web service is restricted to agreed upon data exchanges and can only store or retrieve the agreed upon information. The specifics of that information are determined when the app or web service is approved to be affiliated with MyDataCan™.
The copy of information stored in a person’s private datacan is owned by the person and the person can use, view or delete the information as they deem appropriate. The person cannot change the values of the data that a particular app stored in their storage but they can provide different or additional information to other apps.
You can learn more about MyDataCan™ at https://mydatacan.org.
Access by MyDataCan™ Community
MyDataCan™ instances are organized by school, city or other kinds of communities. Some
communities are
“closed” and have a special login process controlled by the community. A good
example of this is
the Harvard MyDataCan instance. Members of the Harvard community can sign into https://harvard.mydatacan.org using their
Harvard issued
HarvardKey credentials to set up and use their accounts.
Other communities are “open” where a user signs up and provides their name and other information that associates them with the community. An example of this is a MyDataCan™ instance setup for a city or state. People are asked for an address in the city to make the association.
An app or web service affiliated with MyDataCan can be specific to a community or available across some or all communities. At present, apps and web services are available at no cost, but developers will be able to charge a fee for their products on MyDataCan™, if desired, shortly.
Other communities are “open” where a user signs up and provides their name and other information that associates them with the community. An example of this is a MyDataCan™ instance setup for a city or state. People are asked for an address in the city to make the association.
An app or web service affiliated with MyDataCan can be specific to a community or available across some or all communities. At present, apps and web services are available at no cost, but developers will be able to charge a fee for their products on MyDataCan™, if desired, shortly.
Kinds of Personal Information Available
MyDataCan™ enables apps to combine a person's data from multiple sources to help them live healthier, more informed lives.
Originally developed in response to the pandemic, MyDataCan places particular emphasis on sharing data such as location,
symptoms, and other personal health information.
The MyDataCan™ list of personal data sources outlines the types of data individuals can download and manage directly within the platform.
The MyDataCan™ Developer API provides a guide to the core data types available for storage and retrieval, helping developers understand what’s readily accessible.
While the Developer API covers the most common data fields, additional data types can also be supported. If your app needs access to more specific kinds of data, feel free to reach out—we’re happy to help.
To participate in MyDataCan™, an app or web service must store at least one type of data in a user’s personal storage. Retrieving any information from a user’s MyDataCan™ storage requires prior approval from both the platform and the individual user.
The MyDataCan™ list of personal data sources outlines the types of data individuals can download and manage directly within the platform.
The MyDataCan™ Developer API provides a guide to the core data types available for storage and retrieval, helping developers understand what’s readily accessible.
While the Developer API covers the most common data fields, additional data types can also be supported. If your app needs access to more specific kinds of data, feel free to reach out—we’re happy to help.
To participate in MyDataCan™, an app or web service must store at least one type of data in a user’s personal storage. Retrieving any information from a user’s MyDataCan™ storage requires prior approval from both the platform and the individual user.
How to Get Started and Published on MyDataCan™
Follow these steps to get started with making a MyDataCan™-compatible app:
- Create an interesting, fun or useful app or web service. Or perhaps, you have one already working online or at the Apple App Store or Google Play.
- Connect the data storage to MyDataCan™. See the The MyDataCan™ Developer’s API for detailed commands and sample data exchanges.
- Apply to have your app or web service affiliated with MyDataCan™ and published on the MyDataCan™ platform. You may fill out an application here.
- Once approved, integrate MyDataCan™ authentication and data storage into your particular app or web service. See MyDataCan™ documentation on GitHub for details.