Making the Dataspace Protocol an international standard

Harnessing the power of data is no longer optional but essential for success in business, politics, and society. However, to truly unlock its potential, we must handle data with utmost care. When collecting, processing, and sharing data, we need to prioritize trust and data sovereignty.

Data spaces are digital environments designed for the trusted sharing and management of data among various participants. Data spaces can enable more efficient implementations of advanced services and solutions based on data. Data spaces guarantee data sovereignty to participating individuals and organizations, allowing data holders to control the terms and conditions by which the data is re-used.

Data spaces have the potential to make business, economies, and life dramatically better. They are a paradigm shift for the way we share data – and they are a prerequisite to make the data economy and game changers like artificial intelligence happen.

But we at IDSA already back in 2017 observed that all these amazing things are not happening, at least not at the speed and scale we want and hope for. What was missing? A technology that integrates key processes common to all data spaces into a robust framework, following best practices, regardless of region, sector, use case, business model, or applicable legal regulations. Those are processes like exchanging information about what kind of data is available, negotiating a contract, and proceeding to the actual data exchange. 

What we were missing is a data space protocol, better, the IDSA Dataspace Protocol (DSP). This challenge affected all organizations participating and providing services in data spaces. Beyond common practices, we recognized that only standardized technology could provide organizations with sufficient confidence to invest in learning and implementing these new solutions. International standards are instrumental in addressing such challenges.

The DSP is not just a technical innovation; it is a strategic enabler for the data-driven economy. The DSP orchestrates the necessary steps for two or more parties to share data, including requesting a catalogue, negotiating a contract, and managing the transfer process. Its impact could be as profound as the protocols that shaped the internet like the Internet Protocol (IP), transforming fragmented and isolated networks into a global, interconnected one. Similarly, the GSM standard  revolutionized global mobile telephony. Just as these protocols laid the foundation for the Internet and modern communications, the Dataspace Protocol will lay the foundation for trustworthy and sovereign data sharing –unlocking new opportunities for collaboration and innovation in various sectors.