Privacy Flag aims to develop applications on personal data protection for citizens, in the digital environment
COSMOTE contributes to the protection of privacy in the digital environment, by participating to the European research project Privacy Flag[1]. The project develops tools enabling citizens to protect their personal data and their privacy while surfing the web.
In the context of Privacy Flag, a web–browser add-on and a mobile app, have been developed along with a public url which enables users to control and evaluate the webpages they visit and the applications they download to their smart phones, thus ensuring personal data protection. The research project is utilizing crowd sourcing mechanisms for the evaluation of tools, via feedback received from the involved end-users.
One of the significant tools of the project is the Privacy Flag Βrowser add-on. After its installation to Google Chrome, the Βrowser add-on icon changes color according to whether the webpage is identified as “friendly” or “non-friendly”, regarding privacy. Equally important is the Μobile app Privacy Flag. This application provides information about potential threats from installed applications on Android mobile devices and tablets, by implementing checks on the requested access rights (e.g. location, contacts, photographs etc.). Privacy Flag tools are available at http://privacyflag.eu/pf-tools/.
As project coordinator, COSMOTE supervises the research project and participates to the stipulation of technical requirements, specifications, system architecture and the overall assessment of the program. Moreover, contributes to the dissemination and exploitation of the project’s results, as well as in shaping the business model.
The project is co-founded by the European Commission through the Horizon 2020 framework, with the participation of 12 legal entities/institutions from 7 European countries (Greece, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Italy, Luxembourg, Serbia and Sweden) and has a total duration of 3 years.
OTE Group is a pioneer in technological developments and is by far the largest investor in telecommunications infrastructure in Greece. In 2018 alone, the Group participates in 23 innovative research subsidized projects, and is involved in more than 55 research projects since 2009. At the same time, OTE Group’s New Technologies Laboratories are evaluating new technologies and future telecommunications equipment. Through technology and innovation, OTE Group creates a better world for all.
[1] Privacy Flag – Protecting Citizens Privacy, Privacy Management for Websites, Smartphone applications and the Internet of Things
