# Data Privacy in the Internet of Things: A Perspective of Personal Data Store-Based Approaches
## 4 PDS-Based Solution for IoT Privacy
### System Model
#### 4.1.2 PDS Benefits and Drawbacks  
In the literature [55; 57; 60; 61], we find expected benefits related to adopting PDSs from both the user and service provider perspectives.  
From the users' perspective, this approach offers multiple advantages concerning data privacy protection and sovereignty. The most significant benefit is user empowerment, which allows users to regain ownership and control over their data. From this basic benefit, others are derived, such as:  
* The ability to collect, analyze, manage, and share data with others;
* Complete and granular control over data processing; i.e., users need to give their consent and be informed about it;
* Users' consent based on better-informed decisions because they will have more information about the processing (e.g., potential risks, real-time logs, audits, monitoring, and visualization);
* A more effective architecture (including controlled collection, processing on PDSs) against inappropriate access by third parties;
* More security and privacy levels once they can decide which information to share, with whom, and for what purposes;
* Incentive to service providers to adopt more privacy-friendly approaches;
* Power to choose between different platforms or services without losing control or ownership over data, fostering competition and innovation among service providers;
* Ways and opportunities for users to monetize their personal data;
* Means to execute individual analysis and gain insights about themselves.  
On the other hand, from the service providers' perspective, adopting PDSs also presents benefits. First, it increases users' trust and confidence, reduces resistance to data sharing, and motivates them to engage more in online transactions. This results in a valuable solution to access a wide range of data that would otherwise be unavailable due to the difficulty or illegality of collecting it through traditional means. Second, the nature of the PDS predicts an environment where a wide range of data can be stored and accessed. Thus, it can supply service providers with more data types than independent collection efforts would yield. Third, the PDS's decentralized nature enables service providers to combine data and perform a broader range of computations, analytics, and inferences on a diverse set of personal data from different silos. Providers seek and desire these kinds of data because they are potentially cleaner, more prosperous, more actualized, and safer than in a traditional organization-centric model. Finally, organizations involved in the process could reduce the burdens of collecting, maintaining, and managing users' data. Additionally, they could reduce the costs of ensuring data protection and avoiding punishments for non-compliance with privacy laws, such as in cases of data leakage.  
However, despite the benefits outlined, the introduction of the PDS brings some drawbacks. The main disadvantage is that setting up and maintaining a PDS may require technical expertise, which can be challenging and increase the responsibility for non-tech-savvy users. This scenario involves managing access to and obtaining consent for their data, which may lead to privacy risks and unintended consequences. Data availability and accessibility are essential concerns to address, as users need and want to access their data at any time and securely. Another factor to consider is the storage system's security and the service provider's trustworthiness. Finally, the widespread adoption of PDSs requires a shift in user behavior and awareness of their benefits, which can take time to achieve. At the same time, more services will not be available as long as few users are interested. Furthermore, there are no established technical standards for building platforms.