filterbytte

Filterbytte is a modular framework and protocol for configuring, applying, and exchanging filtered data within distributed systems. It aims to enable selective data sharing while preserving privacy and reducing network traffic by applying filters close to data sources and exchanging only the results that pass those filters.

Its architecture combines three core elements: a Filter Policy Language (FPL) for defining access and content rules; a Filter Engine that evaluates these rules against data streams or datasets; and an Exchange Protocol that transports filtered outputs between peers along with minimal provenance metadata.

Data are represented in a flexible graph model that supports composition of filters and traceability of data lineage. Policies can be scoped by user, role, or device, and can be combined to form complex filter graphs.

Operation typically follows these steps: define policies; deploy engines at data sources and recipients; feed data through the engine to produce filtered outputs; transmit results via the exchange protocol. Outputs are accompanied by audit trails and cryptographic proofs where enabled to verify compliance and integrity.

Security and privacy are central concerns. Filterbytte emphasizes least disclosure, encryption in transit and at rest, access controls, and verifiable logs. Some configurations support privacy-enhancing techniques such as differential privacy or zero-knowledge proofs to demonstrate compliance without revealing raw data.

Applications include privacy-preserving analytics, collaborative filtering across organizational boundaries, edge computing where bandwidth is limited, and moderated content exchange in distributed platforms.

Filterbytte originated in academic and open-source research in the mid-2010s as a response to growing demands for data-minimization and policy-driven data exchange. While implementations exist in several prototypes and projects, it remains a topic of ongoing discussion and standardization efforts.

See also: data filtering, policy-based access control, secure multiparty computation, content moderation frameworks.