For Pascal Daloz, Executive Vice President of Dassault Systèmes, "on the internet there are not only producers or consumers, but also contributors. There are countless examples, from freeware to Wikipedia. This contributive economy, based on personal and collective investments, creates another form of value. Likewise, digital footprints are not just messages recorded by digital devices about user identity or activity, they are data as well. Taken individually they make little sense, but grouped together, processed, and combined, they can reveal meaningful strategic information.
That is why we believe the matter of digital contributions and footprints is at the very heart of Innovation and represents the beginning of a new industrial world. Indeed, collaborative ecosystems are taking on new scope and shape (with inter-company and crowdsourcing industrial sectors, for example), involving new contributors and communities. Uses are also playing a larger role in creation, whether through explicit or implicit user feedback (with the Internet of Things, for example).
At Dassault Systèmes, we are committed to providing corporations and individuals with virtual worlds in order to develop sustainable solutions. In addition to these digital tools, we strive to be proactive in behavioral, legal, and ethical considerations, allowing us to maximize these contributions while respecting individuals and corporations. What motivates me to contribute? How should exchanges be organized? In a collective creation what belongs to me? Are my use and footprints my property? How am I protected?
In our opinion, the Personal Data Values and Policy Chair is an important focal point for anticipating and addressing these issues, in working alongside leading industrial and academic players, with a shared, unwavering determination to create value for individuals, corporations, and society."