Data protection

摘要

A data processing system includes access control means for controlling access to personal data by an agent (e.g. program) in accordance with the wishes of data subjects. Associated with each data subject is a privacy policy which includes a set of purposes for which use of their personal data is consented to. The personal data has a data schema comprising a graph including a plurality of nodes linked by arcs, the nodes representing items of personal data and the arcs representing routes by which the system can navigate between the nodes. Each privacy policy associates repective consented purposes with the nodes and arcs. Traversal of an arc is permitted only if said current processing purpose is compatible with the consented purpose associated with that arc, and access to a node is permitted only if said current processing purpose is compatible with the consented purpose associated with that node.