clientcontrolled

Clientcontrolled (often written as client-controlled) is a term in information technology used to describe systems and components where the client plays a central role in controlling aspects that might otherwise be managed by the server or service provider. Examples include data ownership, configuration settings, authentication decisions, or execution policies that are defined or enforced at the client side, rather than solely by the server.

This approach changes the traditional trust model by placing more responsibility on the client. Depending on the implementation, client control can enable stronger privacy, customization, and resilience, but it also raises challenges around key management, security of the client environment, and interoperability with server-side controls.

Common contexts include: client-controlled encryption, where the client manages cryptographic keys and encryption is performed before data leaves the client; client-controlled policy or feature toggles, enabling user or application-level preferences to drive behavior; and client-controlled provisioning, in which clients request resources under defined constraints while servers enforce limits and integrity checks. In cloud-native architectures, API-driven client control is often coupled with clear data ownership and access policies.

Benefits of client control include enhanced privacy, user autonomy, and potentially reduced exposure of sensitive data to the service provider. Drawbacks can include increased complexity for users, higher risk from compromised client devices, and potential fragmentation of policy enforcement across clients.

See also: client-side, server-side, encryption, key management, data ownership.