Loop Users in: The Key to Cross-Platform Data Interoperability

The lack of data interoperability on today’s Internet platforms has led to data ownership problems, which further lead to the deprivation of netizen participation and representation in the data economy. In this paper, we conclude that useroriented data interoperability is the key to change the siloed app ecosystem toward a more decentralized direction. This paper examines the various attempts made by the industry to increase interoperability at different levels: software level, platform level, and infrastructure level. Web 1.0 granted netizens the right to view online content and Web 2.0 (Apps) has given netizens the right to publish in a participatory manner. In this paper, we envision that the next-generation Internet platforms will enable netizens to access personal storage and computation, which can recuperate netizens’ right for data ownership and representation in the data economy. Keywords–Data Interoperability; Web 3.0; Data Ownership; App Ecosystem; Data Economy; Privacy.