Method and apparatus for enforcing data privacy

Abstract

An approach for maintaining user privacy information is described. A privacy management platform determines a request, from one or more applications, for access to local data associated with a device. The platform then determines and processes one or more privacy profile objects associated with the local data to determine one or more privacy policies associated with the local data, the device, or a combination thereof. Enforcement of the one or more privacy policies is then caused for granting access to the local data.

1 . A method comprising facilitating a processing of and/or processing (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal, the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal based, at least in part, on the following:
 a request, from one or more applications, for access to local data associated with a device;   one or more privacy profile objects associated with the local data, the device, or a combination thereof;   a processing of the one or more privacy profile objects to determine one or more privacy policies associated with the local data, the device, or a combination thereof; and   at least one enforcement of the one or more privacy policies for granting the access to the local data.   
     
     
         2 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:
 a processing of the one or more privacy profile objects to determine one or more resources related to the at least one enforcement of the one or more privacy policies.   
     
     
         3 . A method of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more resources include, at least in part, user interface code, user interface media resources, privacy policy implementation code, or a combination thereof, and wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:
 a processing of the user interface code, the user interface media resources, the privacy policy implementation code, or a combination thereof to facilitate the at least one enforcement of the one or more privacy policies.   
     
     
         4 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more privacy profile objects are separate from the one or more applications, the local data, the device, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more privacy policy objects are retrieved from one or more sources independent of the one or more applications, the local data, the device, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more privacy objects are created by a trusted external organization. 
     
     
         7 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:
 at least one indicator of the one or more privacy policy objects, the one or more privacy policies, or a combination thereof; and   a presentation of the at least one indicator in a user interface of the device.   
     
     
         8 . A method of  claim 7 , wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:
 at least one source of the local data,   wherein the at least one indicator is generated to represent, at least in part, the at least one source.   
     
     
         9 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one enforcement of the one or more privacy policies includes, at least in part, one or a combination of the following:
 determining to generate a prompt requesting an approval from a user of the device for the access, wherein the granting of the access is based, at least in part, on the approval;   determining to generate an alert regarding the request;   determining to apply at least one transformation to the local data, wherein the access is granted to the transformed local data; and   causing, at least in part, denial of the access to at least a portion of the local data.   
     
     
         10 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein the local data includes, at least in part, sensor data associated with the device. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,   the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,
 determine a request, from one or more applications, for access to local data associated with a device; 
 determine one or more privacy profile objects associated with the local data, the device, or a combination thereof; 
 process and/or facilitate a processing of the one or more privacy profile objects to determine one or more privacy policies associated with the local data, the device, or a combination thereof; and 
 cause, at least in part, enforcement of the one or more privacy policies for granting the access to the local data. 
   
     
     
         12 . An apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 process and/or facilitate a processing of the one or more privacy profile objects to determine one or more resources related to the enforcement of the one or more privacy policies.   
     
     
         13 . An apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more resources include, at least in part, user interface code, user interface media resources, privacy policy implementation code, or a combination thereof, and wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 process and/or facilitate a processing of the user interface code, the user interface media resources, the privacy policy implementation code, or a combination thereof to facilitate the enforcement of the one or more privacy policies.   
     
     
         14 . An apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more privacy profile objects are separate from the one or more applications, the local data, the device, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 determine to retrieve the one or more privacy policy objects from one or more sources independent of the one or more applications, the local data, the device, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         16 . An apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more privacy objects are created by a trusted external organization. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 generate at least one indicator of the one or more privacy policy objects, the one or more privacy policies, or a combination thereof and   cause, at least in part, presentation of the at least one indicator in a user interface of the device.   
     
     
         18 . An apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 determine at least one source of the local data,   wherein the at least one indicator is generated to represent, at least in part, the at least one source.   
     
     
         19 . An apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the enforcement of the one or more privacy policies includes, at least in part, one or a combination of the following:
 determine to generate a prompt requesting an approval from a user of the device for the access, wherein the granting of the access is based, at least in part, on the approval;   determine to generate an alert regarding the request;   determine to apply at least one transformation to the local data, wherein the access is granted to the transformed local data; and   cause, at least in part, denial of the access to at least a portion of the local data.   
     
     
         20 . An apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the local data includes, at least in part, sensor data associated with the device.