Architecting a Rights Management System

Architecting a Rights Management System

Building an effective rights management system requires careful architecture that balances user empowerment with security concerns. The system must handle various request types, verify user identity appropriately, process requests within legal timeframes, and maintain audit trails for compliance demonstration. This complexity demands a well-structured approach that can scale with growing request volumes and evolving regulatory requirements.

The foundation of any rights management system is a robust request handling pipeline. This pipeline must accept requests through multiple channels (web forms, email, API), validate and verify requester identity, route requests to appropriate handlers, process requests according to type and jurisdiction, and deliver results securely. Each stage requires careful implementation to ensure both compliance and user experience.

// Comprehensive rights management system
class PrivacyRightsManager {
  constructor() {
    this.requestTypes = {
      ACCESS: 'access',
      DELETION: 'deletion',
      PORTABILITY: 'portability',
      RECTIFICATION: 'rectification',
      RESTRICTION: 'restriction',
      OBJECTION: 'objection'
    };
    
    this.requestHandlers = new Map();
    this.requestQueue = new RequestQueue();
    this.verificationService = new IdentityVerificationService();
    this.auditLogger = new AuditLogger();
    
    this.setupHandlers();
  }

  // Initialize request handlers for each right type
  setupHandlers() {
    this.requestHandlers.set(this.requestTypes.ACCESS, new AccessRequestHandler());
    this.requestHandlers.set(this.requestTypes.DELETION, new DeletionRequestHandler());
    this.requestHandlers.set(this.requestTypes.PORTABILITY, new PortabilityRequestHandler());
    this.requestHandlers.set(this.requestTypes.RECTIFICATION, new RectificationRequestHandler());
    this.requestHandlers.set(this.requestTypes.RESTRICTION, new RestrictionRequestHandler());
    this.requestHandlers.set(this.requestTypes.OBJECTION, new ObjectionRequestHandler());
  }

  // Submit a privacy rights request
  async submitRequest(requestData) {
    const request = {
      id: this.generateRequestId(),
      type: requestData.type,
      userId: requestData.userId,
      submittedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
      status: 'pending_verification',
      jurisdiction: await this.determineJurisdiction(requestData),
      metadata: {
        channel: requestData.channel || 'web',
        ipAddress: requestData.ipAddress,
        userAgent: requestData.userAgent
      }
    };

    try {
      // Store request
      await this.storeRequest(request);
      
      // Send verification if required
      if (this.requiresVerification(request.type)) {
        await this.initiateVerification(request);
      } else {
        // Auto-approve for certain request types (e.g., opt-out)
        request.status = 'verified';
        await this.processRequest(request);
      }
      
      // Send acknowledgment
      await this.sendAcknowledgment(request);
      
      return {
        success: true,
        requestId: request.id,
        estimatedCompletion: this.estimateCompletionTime(request)
      };
    } catch (error) {
      await this.handleRequestError(request, error);
      throw error;
    }
  }

  // Process verified request
  async processRequest(request) {
    const handler = this.requestHandlers.get(request.type);
    if (!handler) {
      throw new Error(`No handler for request type: ${request.type}`);
    }

    try {
      // Update status
      request.status = 'processing';
      await this.updateRequest(request);
      
      // Process with appropriate handler
      const result = await handler.process(request);
      
      // Store result
      request.status = 'completed';
      request.completedAt = new Date().toISOString();
      request.result = result;
      await this.updateRequest(request);
      
      // Deliver result
      await this.deliverResult(request);
      
      // Log completion
      await this.auditLogger.log({
        action: 'request_completed',
        requestId: request.id,
        type: request.type,
        userId: request.userId
      });
    } catch (error) {
      request.status = 'failed';
      request.error = error.message;
      await this.updateRequest(request);
      throw error;
    }
  }

  // Determine applicable jurisdiction
  async determineJurisdiction(requestData) {
    // Check user location
    const userLocation = await this.getUserLocation(requestData.userId);
    
    // Map to privacy jurisdiction
    if (this.isEUCountry(userLocation.country)) {
      return 'GDPR';
    } else if (userLocation.state === 'CA' && userLocation.country === 'US') {
      return 'CCPA';
    } else if (userLocation.country === 'BR') {
      return 'LGPD';
    }
    
    // Default to most restrictive
    return 'GDPR';
  }

  // Estimate completion time based on request type and jurisdiction
  estimateCompletionTime(request) {
    const timelines = {
      GDPR: {
        [this.requestTypes.ACCESS]: 30,
        [this.requestTypes.DELETION]: 30,
        [this.requestTypes.PORTABILITY]: 30,
        [this.requestTypes.RECTIFICATION]: 30,
        [this.requestTypes.RESTRICTION]: 72, // hours
        [this.requestTypes.OBJECTION]: 72    // hours
      },
      CCPA: {
        [this.requestTypes.ACCESS]: 45,
        [this.requestTypes.DELETION]: 45,
        [this.requestTypes.PORTABILITY]: 45
      }
    };
    
    const timeline = timelines[request.jurisdiction]?.[request.type] || 30;
    const estimatedDate = new Date();
    
    if (request.type === this.requestTypes.RESTRICTION || 
        request.type === this.requestTypes.OBJECTION) {
      estimatedDate.setHours(estimatedDate.getHours() + timeline);
    } else {
      estimatedDate.setDate(estimatedDate.getDate() + timeline);
    }
    
    return estimatedDate.toISOString();
  }
}

// Handler for access requests
class AccessRequestHandler {
  async process(request) {
    const userData = await this.gatherUserData(request.userId);
    const report = await this.generateAccessReport(userData, request);
    
    return {
      type: 'access_report',
      data: report,
      format: 'structured_pdf',
      deliveryMethod: 'secure_download'
    };
  }

  async gatherUserData(userId) {
    const dataSources = [
      { name: 'profile', source: 'users_db', query: { userId } },
      { name: 'activity', source: 'activity_db', query: { userId } },
      { name: 'preferences', source: 'preferences_db', query: { userId } },
      { name: 'consent', source: 'consent_db', query: { userId } },
      { name: 'thirdParty', source: 'integrations', query: { userId } }
    ];

    const userData = {};
    
    for (const source of dataSources) {
      try {
        userData[source.name] = await this.fetchFromSource(source);
      } catch (error) {
        console.error(`Failed to fetch ${source.name}:`, error);
        userData[source.name] = { error: 'Unable to retrieve' };
      }
    }
    
    return userData;
  }

  async generateAccessReport(userData, request) {
    return {
      metadata: {
        reportId: this.generateReportId(),
        requestId: request.id,
        generatedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
        userId: request.userId,
        jurisdiction: request.jurisdiction
      },
      personalData: this.structurePersonalData(userData),
      processingInformation: await this.getProcessingInfo(request.userId),
      thirdPartySharing: await this.getThirdPartyInfo(request.userId),
      dataRetention: await this.getRetentionInfo(request.userId),
      rights: this.getUserRights(request.jurisdiction)
    };
  }
}