Managing policy and permissions profiles

A method being performed by one or more computing devices including at least one processor, the method for managing policy and permissions profiles, the method comprising:

• providing a policy and permissions profile template for an application or service, on a computing device, the policy and permissions profile template having an input area for inputting settings corresponding to an access to and use of personal data by the application or service;
• receiving a policy and permissions profile for the application or service, wherein the policy and permissions profile:
• is based on the policy and permissions profile template;
• is authored utilizing the policy and permissions profile template;
• excludes default permissions of a default policy and permissions profile provided in conjunction with the application or service;
• is presented with an identification of a third-party policy and permissions author, wherein the third-party policy and permissions author is a party other than the provider of the application or service;
• and
• is configured to be exported to a user device and used in association with the application or service on the user device;
• and
• publishing the policy and permissions profile for the application or service with an indication of the source of the policy and permissions profile, wherein publishing the policy and permissions profile causes the policy and permissions profile to be available for use by a plurality of users of the application or service upon a selection of the policy and permissions profile by a user of the plurality of users.

A system comprising:

• a policy and permissions engine having one or more processors and one or more computer-readable storage media;
• and
• a data store coupled with the policy and permissions engine;
• wherein the policy and permissions engine:
• provides a policy and permissions profile template for a first application or service that enables a third-party policy and permissions author to create and publish a policy and permissions profile for use by a plurality of users of the first application or service, wherein the policy and permissions profile template corresponds to the access to and use of personal data by the first application or service;
• provides a user interface that enables a user to select one of a plurality of policy and permissions profiles associated with the first application or service, wherein each policy and permissions profile of the plurality of policy and permissions profiles:
• excludes default permissions of a default policy and permissions profile provided in conjunction with the first application or service;
• is predefined by the third-party policy and permissions author, the third-party policy and permissions author being a party other than a provider of the first application or service;
• and
• is presented with an identification of the third-party policy and permissions author;
• receives a user selection, via the user interface, of one of the plurality of policy and permissions profiles associated with the first application or service;
• imports the user-selected policy and permissions profile for use in association with the first application or service;
• stores the user-selected policy and permissions profile in association with the user and an identifier of the first application or service;
• upon receiving an indication that the user desires to launch the first application or service, utilizes the user-selected policy and permissions profile with respect to the first application or service;
• and
• updates the user-selected policy and permissions profile upon detecting a change to at least one setting associated with the user-selected policy and permissions profile.