An apparatus comprising a processor and a memory (82, 92, 93), the apparatus being connected to a communications network, the apparatus further including computer-executable instructions stored in the memory (82, 92, 93) of the apparatus which, when executed by the processor of the apparatus, cause the apparatus to implement a service layer entity on the communications network and cause the service layer entity to: receive an electronic profile comprising information concerning a service subscriber of a plurality of network devices that may be connected to the communications network, and information concerning each of the plurality of network devices, the information concerning each network device comprising at least an associated identifier of the network device, an identifier of each of one or more applications hosted on the network device, and an associated data control policy for each of the one or more applications comprising one or more allowed data types; create, in the memory of the service layer entity, one or more resources and store within the one or more resources the information contained in the electronic profile concerning the service subscriber and concerning each of the plurality of network devices, including the associated identifiers of each of the one or more applications hosted on each network device, and the associated data control policy of each of the one or more applications hosted on each network device; receive, from an application hosted on a network device connected to the communications network, an electronic request to register the application with the service layer entity, the request comprising a first identifier and a first data type of data the requesting application is configured to transmit on the communications network; determine, based on the one or more resources, that the first identifier of the requesting application matches an associated identifier of one of the plurality of applications in the electronic profile; determine, based on the one or more resources, that the first data type of the requesting application matches one of the allowed data types of the associated data control policy of the application having the matching identifier in the electronic profile; and register, based on the determinations, the requesting application with the service layer entity. receive an electronic profile comprising information concerning a service subscriber of a plurality of network devices that may be connected to the communications network, and information concerning each of the plurality of network devices, the information concerning each network device comprising at least an associated identifier of the network device, an identifier of each of one or more applications hosted on the network device, and an associated data control policy for each of the one or more applications comprising one or more allowed data types; create, in the memory of the service layer entity, one or more resources and store within the one or more resources the information contained in the electronic profile concerning the service subscriber and concerning each of the plurality of network devices, including the associated identifiers of each of the one or more applications hosted on each network device, and the associated data control policy of each of the one or more applications hosted on each network device; receive, from an application hosted on a network device connected to the communications network, an electronic request to register the application with the service layer entity, the request comprising a first identifier and a first data type of data the requesting application is configured to transmit on the communications network; determine, based on the one or more resources, that the first identifier of the requesting application matches an associated identifier of one of the plurality of applications in the electronic profile; determine, based on the one or more resources, that the first data type of the requesting application matches one of the allowed data types of the associated data control policy of the application having the matching identifier in the electronic profile; and register, based on the determinations, the requesting application with the service layer entity.