occupre

Occupre is a hypothetical ethical-legal framework used in discussions of digital labor, platform governance, and data rights. It does not refer to a widely adopted standard, but rather a conceptual model employed in academic and policy debates.

The term was coined in a 2024 symposium on digital sovereignty by scholars exploring how users might secure ongoing rights to their digital presence within corporate platforms.

Occupre envisions occupancy rights, a bundle of claims that individuals hold over the use of their attention, interactions, and associated data on participating systems. The framework emphasizes transparency, consent, portability, and interoperability, with an emphasis on the ability to revoke access and move data between platforms.

For implementation, occupre advocates for clear notices, granular consent, data export standards, and auditable algorithmic processes. Oversight is proposed through independent bodies and periodic impact assessments.

In policy circles, occupre is cited as a way to frame discussions about data sovereignty, user autonomy, and the governance of digital labor markets. In academia, it serves as a heuristic for evaluating platform practices.

Critics argue that the concept is underspecified and difficult to enforce across borderless services, and that it could conflict with current business models and intellectual property concerns. Proponents note its potential to encourage more accountable design.

See also data sovereignty, digital labor, platform governance, user rights.