The MyData movement is stronger than ever. An expanding and connected global membership is changing the game for the personal data economy by promoting the human-centric principles for personal data management and sharing. As MyData Global pushes new boundaries, it is adopting an updated visual identity that reflects its diversity and forward-looking agenda.
Looking back, moving forward
MyData has come a long way since the international community first gathered at the MyData conference in 2016. Then, like-minded experts and organisations convened to discuss the state of personal data use in the world and the vision for better alternatives. Today, the MyData Global organisation and the surrounding community are recognised internationally as advocates for individual data rights and valued collaborators for businesses and organisations that want to develop services that benefit people and communities with their data.
Over the past three years, more than 40 companies and organisations have become MyData operators. The network of MyData hubs has also expanded, with a local instance now established on each inhabited continent. Alongside the hubs, new MyData thematic groups focus on the personal data aspects in a particular sector or domain. In 2022, the MyData conference will run for the sixth time, creating an opportunity for governments, companies, and organisations to network and showcase their progress and plans in the personal data space.
An updated logo
Strong brands capture the essence of who they are. With this in mind, we undertook a critical evaluation of our visual identity to consider how it could better reflect MyData in 2022 and beyond. We wanted the logo to better represent how MyData is collaborative, inclusive, and in tune with the interconnected, digitised global landscape. The new logo also needed to convey a sense of universality to represent our diversity and be easily adopted by MyData hubs and thematic groups.
Human-centricity
People remain at the heart of our work and brand. The eleven icons surrounding the person in the original logo have been dropped, as we seek further to break down barriers between data silos across domains. The new logo emphasises the vision for each individual to become the point of integration for data about them, as described in the MyData Declaration.
Data
The coloured shapes that make up the person’s silhouette represent the data that people generate daily. These shapes vary in length, suggesting movement, and this represents how MyData promotes the active use and re-use of personal data – to benefit people, businesses, communities, and all sectors of societies. The data is bound within the person, indicating that individuals must ultimately have visibility and agency over information about themselves.
Gradual process
MyData Global will gradually roll out its new visual identity over the coming months. The previous visual identity is an important part of MyData’s history and our community. We will honour its legacy as we transition to this next stage of our journey.
Right now is a time when anything seems possible. I’ve loved the MyData sector wheel that’s so familiar to all of us, the stories it tells and how it speaks to and about us. I’m also energised and invigorated by this bold step into our new MyData future of possibilities with a clean and fresh logo and look. Now if ever is the time to make it happen and make it right!”
–Viivi Lähteenoja, chair of the board, MyData Global
Our objectives
Building a fair, sustainable, and prosperous digital society can only be achieved through collaboration. We want MyData’s message to be recognised by businesses, governments, and communities around the globe. We strive to enable organisations and communities to adopt the MyData principles as they build new services and products with people’s data. Hence, every time we communicate and publish content, we aim to empower, educate, guide, respect, and speak the truth.* We hope that the new visual identity and the gradually updated new website will achieve just that.
*Download the brand guidelines and use the MyData brand responsibly.