Tool Overview:
JLINC

About JLINC

JLINC is a protocol and platform that creates a permissioned data layer for managing data exchange between separate systems. The technology enables organizations and individuals to control how their data is used after it is shared through cryptographically signed agreements called Information Sharing Agreements (ISAs). These agreements govern automated data exchanges between parties while maintaining audit trails of all transactions.

What does JLINC do?

The protocol establishes two primary roles in data exchange: Data Rights-Holders and Data Custodians. Rights-Holders have legal or moral rights to the data, while Custodians have fiduciary responsibilities to handle data according to established agreements. When data is shared, the initiating party selects and signs a Standard Information Sharing Agreement (SISA), which must be countersigned by the receiving party. Both parties retain signed copies of these agreements and all subsequent data transactions.

JLINC employs several technical standards to facilitate secure data exchange. The protocol uses JSON-LD for data serialization, Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) for identity management, and signed JSON Web Tokens (JWTs) or CBOR Web Tokens (CWTs) for secure information exchange. Each data exchange includes a hash of the completed SISA, indicating the context under which the exchange occurs. Parties can submit records of these exchanges to ledgers of their choice for non-repudiation purposes.

What makes JLINC different?

Unlike blockchain-based solutions, JLINC does not require consensus mechanisms or tokens to move data between systems. Instead, it creates human-readable and legally admissible contracts that can be automated under existing law. The protocol maintains data provenance through cryptographically signed chains of custody, with audit proof written to any specified database, ledger, or blockchain. This approach allows organizations to maintain separate systems while exchanging data under controlled conditions.

The protocol differs from smart contracts in that it creates self-validating rather than self-executing agreements. If errors occur in implementation, the code can be corrected without compromising the entire system. In case of disputes, human-readable contracts allow judges or arbiters to make determinations based on standard legal principles rather than relying on opaque technical implementations.

Use cases and industries

JLINC serves various sectors requiring controlled data exchange, from personal information management to business-to-business transactions. In personal data protection, it provides mechanisms for compliance with regulations like GDPR by enabling individuals to control how their data is used across multiple organizations. For businesses, it offers ways to reduce compliance and litigation risks while maintaining necessary data sharing capabilities.

The protocol supports data spaces and governed data ecosystems, where multiple parties share information under defined rules and agreements. Each participant maintains their own complete audit trail on their chosen ledger or blockchain, while the protocol handles permissioning and verification across multi-party chains. The system can integrate with existing customer relationship management systems and backend business processes through standard APIs, with organizations having the option to run their own JLINC servers in-house.