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Will Blockchain save Healthcare Industry from World’s Toughest Data Privacy Law 

Digitalization has been a boon for the modern world that shrunk our personal and professional space, engaging us constantly without a second to breathe. But are we looking at the darker side? 

Digitalization in the past few years has given problems that we thought wouldn't exist with its advent. But we couldn't be more wrong. 

More businesses today have experienced data breaches exposing millions of sensitive data that could destroy the lives of our innocent customers and people in general. It isn't wrong to say that Digitalization is a double-edged sword. 

Healthcare and Privacy: Is your customer's sensitive data safe 

The healthcare industry experiences the most data breaches and cyber-attacks, exposing thousands of highly sensitive protected health information or PHI. 

Exposed personal data is used for malicious purposes such as blackmailing, extortion, and much more that cause severe health and mental distress among patients. 

Besides a security breach, manual error and insider leaks are the 2nd most significant cause of privacy compromises. And this comes with high costs that healthcare startups and SMBs can't afford. 

Cost of Privacy non-compliance under EU's GDPR.   

GDPR Compliance has fined several healthcare organizations for failing to adopt adequate privacy measures and exposing sensitive data to cyber-attacks and breaches. Here are a few examples:   

Helse Stavanger HF: In January 2019, Norway's Data Protection Authority fined Helse Stavanger HF, a healthcare organization, € 170,000 for failing to implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect patient data. The breach occurred when patient data was accidentally made available online for several months.   

A German Hospital: In November 2019, a German hospital was fined € 105,000 for not implementing appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect patient data. The breach occurred when hospital staff used the same password for several user accounts, which allowed unauthorized access to patient data.   

British Airways: Although not a healthcare organization, British Airways was fined € 22 million in October 2020 for a data breach that exposed the personal data of more than 400,000 customers (about half the population of Delaware). This breach included sensitive personal data such as names, addresses, and credit card details.   

These three examples emphasize the underlying utility of data privacy.   

“Data privacy compliance not only controls costs. It builds long-term consumer loyalty with a trusted brand.”   

Indeed, Healthcare must prioritize data privacy with technologies that ensure long-standing technical superiority in privacy and security. 

Will Blockchain solve Healthcare's data privacy nightmare? 

Blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionize the healthcare industry by providing a secure and decentralized platform for storing and sharing sensitive patient data. 

However, as with any technology dealing with personal data, it must comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR Compliance) to protect patient privacy. 

One of the most crucial aspects of blockchain technology in healthcare is that it can give patients more control over their data, giving them immense benefits. 

With Blockchain, patients can give explicit consent for sharing their data and track who has accessed their data. This offers patients greater transparency and control over their personal information, a fundamental principle of GDPR Compliance. 

In addition, blockchain technology can also enhance data security by providing a tamper-proof ledger that can help prevent unauthorized access to patient data. 

Using encryption and decentralization, Blockchain can ensure that only authorized parties have access to patient data and that any changes made to the data are fully transparent and traceable. 

However, to ensure GDPR compliance, healthcare organizations must take several steps.  

These include: 

Implementing a privacy impact assessment: This involves assessing the impact of blockchain technology on patient privacy and ensuring that all necessary safeguards are in place to protect personal data. 

Implementing appropriate technical and organizational measures: This includes implementing encryption, access controls, and other security measures to protect patient data. 

Ensuring transparency: Patients must be informed about how their data will be used and who can access it. Healthcare organizations must also ensure that patients can access their data and exercise their rights under GDPR, such as the right to be forgotten. 

Appointing a data protection officer: This person will ensure that the organization complies with GDPR and that patient data is protected. 

Overall, blockchain technology can provide significant benefits to the healthcare industry. Still, it must be implemented in a way that fully complies with GDPR and ensures patient privacy is always protected. 

Conclusion: With its immutable ledger and decentralized architecture, Blockchain can ensure the security and integrity of sensitive patient information without compromising data sharing among authorized parties. 

This technology can also streamline healthcare data management, reducing costs and improving overall efficiency.  

However, implementing Blockchain in Healthcare will require careful consideration of various factors, including regulatory compliance like GDPR Compliance, interoperability, and privacy concerns. 

Visit Adzapier to learn more about Data, Privacy, and Compliance. 

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Does GDPR Compliance Affect Instagram Users’ Data Privacy Rights? 

Instagram is the fourth most used social media platform; more than 1 million people use it monthly. Like every other online company, Instagram collects user-generated information and user data. Since its advent, the platform has become a source of income for content creators and a hotspot for marketing and advertising various products and services. 

Simultaneously, scams such as fake accounts, phishing attacks, and fake job listings are becoming more common on popular social media platforms, including Instagram. If Instagram keeps in line with GDPR compliance, there is a scope for minimizing scams and upholding individual data privacy rights. 

The General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR was enacted in 2018 and has been the baseline for other data privacy laws worldwide. There is a potential for increased government regulations on Instagram data privacy policies, particularly given the growing concern over data privacy and security in recent years. 

Why is GDPR Compliance important for Instagram? 

Instagram collects user data, including personal information, browsing history, and location data. This data can be used for various purposes, such as targeted advertising, improving user experience, and analyzing user behavior. 

The GDPR impacts how businesses may or not use Instagram for advertising and marketing purposes. Instagram’s privacy policy states that companies can use the platform to advertise products and services but must comply with the GDPR.  

On its own, Instagram boasts GDPR Compliance and fulfills the obligations placed by law. Scams and data privacy violations have become intense in cases involving a third-party advertiser or service provider. The collection and use of data have come under scrutiny in recent years, with concerns raised about the potential for misuse, unauthorized access, and privacy breaches on Instagram. 

What is the Role of Government Policies in Governing Data Privacy? 

In response to privacy-related concerns, governments worldwide have been exploring ways to regulate user data collection, processing, and storage by social media companies like Instagram.  

For example, GDPR’s strict data protection laws require companies to obtain explicit user consent before collecting and processing user data. If your company advertises on Instagram, GDPR compliance for your site is indispensable.  

Data privacy legislations in the United States, including the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), CPRA, and VCDPA, govern how companies like Instagram and those using its services collect and process user data. These regulations aim to give users greater control over their data and impose stricter requirements on companies to protect user privacy. 

What is the current State of Data Privacy Protection on Instagram? 

Instagram offers privacy-upholding measures that users can implement at their end and prevent malicious actors from accessing their data. Here are a few options Instagram Provides its users to prevent malicious actors from accessing personal data: 

Privacy Settings:  

Instagram allows users to control who can see their posts, stories, and profile. Users can set their accounts to private, which means only their approved followers can see their content. Users can also control who can send them direct messages and comment on their posts. 

Two-factor Authentication:  

This option allows for an added layer of security. It requires users to enter a verification code sent to their phone or email in addition to their login credentials. 

Password Protection:  

Users can protect their accounts with a strong password that is difficult for others to guess. Instagram also encourages and notifies users to change their passwords regularly to ensure their funds are secure. 

Data Download:  

This option allows users to create a content backup if malicious actors compromise or delete their accounts.  

Reporting and Blocking:  

Instagram provides tools to report and block malicious accounts or content. Users can report spam, harassment, and other abusive behavior to Instagram. The platform will then investigate and take appropriate action. 

Phishing Scams:  

Instagram warns users about phishing scams, which trick users into revealing their login credentials or other personal information. Users should be cautious of suspicious emails or messages asking for personal information and never share their passwords with anyone. 

GDPR compliance checklist for U.S. companies that wish to advertise on Instagram: 

Companies that need to advertise on Instagram must take care of the following: 

Transparency: Ensure transparency by clearly explaining how user data will be processed and shared with third-party partners like Instagram. This should be done in a concise and easy-to-understand language. 

Privacy policy: If you intend to advertise on Instagram, publish a privacy policy that explains how you collect, use, and process personal data on your Instagram account. The policy should be easily accessible and understandable. 

Valid Consent: Obtaining explicit consent from users before collecting and processing their personal data is vital. This can be achieved by providing clear and concise information about the data that will be collected and how it will be used. 

Review Data Processing Agreements: Review data processing agreements with any third-party vendors, including Instagram, to ensure GDPR compliance. 

Data access requests: Instagram users have the right to request access to their data, to have it corrected, deleted, or transferred to another organization. Businesses advertising on Instagram must ensure responding to data access requests from users within the legally mandated timeframe.  

Data processing agreements: All third-party service providers processing the personal data on a company’s behalf must sign a GDPR-compliant data processing agreement. 

Data Retention Policy: Businesses must establish a data retention policy and ensure that personal data is not retained longer than necessary. 

Records of Consent and data processing: Maintain records of all data processing activities and make them available upon request. Also, maintain detailed records of user consent for data privacy audits. 

Appoint a Data Protection Officer: Under the GDPR, small and medium enterprises can have a joint Data Protection Officer (DPO). The DPO oversees data protection compliance within a company. 

Footnote: 

Given the importance of Instagram as a social media platform, it will likely continue to face increased scrutiny and potential government regulation. Companies advertising on Instagram must adapt and develop more robust data privacy policies and procedures to comply with these regulations and maintain user trust.  

GDPR compliance is essential for online businesses wishing to promote Instagram services. So, if you want to learn more about robust data privacy rights management solutions or regulations that govern data policies, follow Adzapier on your Instagram! 

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Social Media and Student’s Privacy: Best practices schools should know 

Social Media has become an indispensable part of Student's lives and is increasingly becoming an addiction with serious consequences if not kept in check.  

Recent research by Common Sense Media found that kids spend an average of almost an hour each day using social media, with only 3% of their online time spent on creation instead of consumption. Our students need teachers who utilize social media creatively, responsibly, and in a pro-social manner to be digital citizens. 

Why do only one in ten instructors use social media for work?  

Working in a school environment and dealing with anything from Family Education Rights and Privacy Act or FERPA Compliance to news-making incidents can be frightening and complex. It makes sense that many educators completely ignore these inquiries.  

Eighty-one percent of the instructors who participated in the study mentioned above were worried about the dangers of combining social media with their professional lives. 

However, there is also a significant benefit: Many educators have utilized social media to exchange best practices, provide students with an authentic audience for their work, promote digital citizenship among their pupils, and strengthen school communities. Any privacy hazards to students can be controlled with thoughtful, intentional use. However, the question remains! 

Is Social Media Bad: Potential Harm to Students 

We already know that facial recognition algorithms use photos to predict things like political affiliation or sexual orientation of people from face images (Kosinski, 2021; Wang & Kosinski, 2018). It is not out of the question to consider using photographs to make such predictions (right or erroneously) in ways that might lead to discrimination in the job, education, or other areas of one's life. 

It is well known that Facebook develops "shadow" profiles for people portrayed in images but do not have accounts. Facebook also has a powerful facial recognition program, which they discuss in the help section of their website. 

How common is the risk? 9.3 million of the impressive 18 million posts by American schools and school districts on Facebook contained one or more photographs (Burchfield et al., 2021). In our study, we randomly selected 100 of these 9.3 million postings with pictures, and we discovered 187 student faces, five of which we could quickly link to student names. 

What to do: Do's and Don'ts for Social Media Privacy 

Review this long list of dos and don'ts for protecting privacy and establishing a responsible example of safe sharing in your classroom if you are serious about protecting social media privacy. 

Develop open, FERPA-compliant policies 

Do look up and review the social media policies for your school or district. Everything you could do would depend on the current rules, particularly the acceptable-use policy.  

Enable Consent or Opt-outs 

Use forms for parental consent or opt-out. Obtain parental permission if you intend to share activities in your classroom. You can also push for the adoption of comprehensive opt-out forms at your school for more direct parental control.  

Many parents are exercising their Privacy Rights by sending privacy request, technically known as DSAR request, which mandates for-profit businesses, even schools, and universities, to provide adequate and relevant data they have on the Student or the subject concerned. 

Start utilizing social media in your classroom only after establishing rules and obtaining agreement. Instead, contact those who can assist with their setup and installation. 

PRIVACY BEST PRACTISES  

Do think about opening a different account for business use. You will avoid many headaches in the future.   

Look at the privacy options on any individual social media accounts. Set your personal Twitter account, for instance, to "Protected" so that only people you follow can see your tweets.    

Explore Facebook's privacy settings. However, remember that Facebook's privacy settings are just for others to see your information. Everything is still visible to Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites, and in some circumstances, third-party apps you connect to via social media also receive privileged access.   

Consent Management and DSAR Automation are some of the best privacy tools for online presence through websites, ed-tech portals, mobile apps, or social media. If you also collect Student's data, then these are must-haves.   

Use the photo-editing apps on your tablet or phone. These can assist you in fast cropping or masking a photograph's delicate areas before uploading.   

Be sure to explain the security and privacy activities to the students. Let them know how, when, and what they will use social media for. Encourage a debate about the why, considering both the advantages and disadvantages.    

Ask students for feedback, and if they have more delicate worries about their images or personal information being public, urge them to speak with you privately. Respecting the preferences of each Student should go without saying. And Schools can do these with Privacy tools like Consent Management and DSAR Automation.   

While Consent management helps schools to save Student's consent and preferences, DSAR automation helps to locate Student's data if parents or guardians ever send a privacy request.  

As many parents know that today's edtech-platform collects lots of Student data used for personalization and ad targets, they want to be careful with the information these organizations hold on their data. And that's where parents and students send privacy requests to schools and universities.  

To tackle these hectic situations and avoid paying hefty fines and penalties, schools and organizations should automate DSAR, which automatically verifies, processes, and locates personal data and sends it to the concerned subject for access, modification, or withdrawal. 

Do search for any student or class information that is readily apparent as you travel around the room. If you are a teacher, you undoubtedly have much information written on the walls and whiteboards in your classroom. 

This information, which could be confidential, includes student names, app class codes, logins and passwords, and grades. Please list everything in your room, remove these postings, and ensure they are not included in any media you record. 

Make a list of the digital files and folders you have. How are the digital records of your students organized on your computer and any shared machines you may have? Make sure the right people can only access the information. 

PROTECT THE CONFIDENTIALITY AND PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION OF STUDENTS. 

Before we discuss the appropriate ways to handle students' personally identifiable information, there are three crucial questions you should ask yourself. 

Does this post contain any information that might be used to identify you? 

Do I have express authorization to post it online? 

Is the content I am sharing helping students learn more? 

Those inquiries will help you out a lot. 

Never disclose a student's name or face without the parents' permission. Always ensure students' names and faces are hidden unless you have reached an agreement with parents and pupils. Beware of reflections. 

Be aware of how you commercialize your classroom in your posts. Social media can be an excellent method to provide feedback to the creators of educational products but keep in mind that posts on items that feature your students may turn them into spokespeople without their consent. 

Keep an eye out for jerseys and name badges. These student name leaks are simple to miss. 

Please don't make any students' academic records public, including their grades and tests. This is a crucial component of FERPA and has a broad scope. If you need clarification on something that might count, keep it to yourself. Pay close attention to how you respond to student work shared online. 

Remember that handwriting contains information that can be used to identify a person. Names, addresses, and student ID numbers are among the items that FERPA considers personally identifiable. Still, you should know that it also protects other biometric information, such as handwriting. 

Conclusion: Distancing Students from social media platforms will only hamper their ability to understand and thrive in the digital age. Though there are pros and cons to everything, students should be taught realistically about the damaging repercussions of social media and other platforms on their personal lives. Therefore, it is in society's interest, parents, and the educational system, to create an ecosystem of educating the future generation about the security and privacy threats of social media and platforms which continually require individual personal data. This will build a sense of belongingness and a sustainable future for our children. 

Visit Adzapier to learn more about Data, Privacy and Compliance. 

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Savvy Shopper: 7 Tips to shop safely online

The comfort of visiting shopping websites laid back on a cozy couch at home is preferable to long lines, hours spent wandering through the store, or irritating store personnel. The capability of making purchases online is one of the most beautiful boons to modern society. But that is slipping away as a business has been notoriously known for not respecting and protecting individual privacy for quite a time now, even when governed by privacy regulations such as CPRA, GDPR, CPA, and much more. 

According to new research, consumers would rather ignore brands than have their personal information compromised. To navigate and interact with this suspicious and scary consumer base, brands will be best positioned if they handle consumer data morally and ethically. 

Consumer dissatisfaction with online retail websites is concentrated on two key issues. (This score does not include customer experience in and of itself).  

The need for self-caution for disclosing only a little information frequently, without consent, prompts customers to remove items from their shopping carts. 

  Due to the popularity of online purchasing, consumers must now exercise greater caution when disclosing personal information to brands. Marketing technology company Wyng recently surveyed more than 1,100 respondents, and the results, published on Tuesday, corroborated that reality. 

According to the "Wyng 2021 Report: State of Consumer Data Privacy," consumers would rather forego purchases from firms that do not guarantee the privacy of their customer's personal information. 

Repercussions: Increased Bounce Rates 

First, according to Qubit's research, shops might need to be adequately prepared to deal with the anticipated rise in online buying and shifting customer mindsets. According to the report, customers frequently switch to competitors when expectations need to be met. 

Wyng's analysis demonstrates strong links between shopper privacy concerns and cart abandonment. It was revealed that privacy concerns account for 70% of consumer transaction cancellations. 

Consumers are becoming more concerned about their privacy. Co-founder of Wyng, Wendell Lansford, noted that the fact that 80% of consumers rated maintaining their online privacy and data protection as "very important" did not surprise him. 

So, to safeguard your data and shop online as discreetly and safely as possible, there are seven steps you must follow to become a Savvy Shopper. 

1. Websites 

You must carefully review the websites where you are making your purchases. Instead of using search engines, it is advisable to use well-known websites like Amazon, eBay, Target, or the online divisions of well-known retailers. Watch out for errors in the website address. Verify the legitimacy and security of the website. The web address with a padlock starting with HTTPS:// rather than HTTP:// denotes secure socket layer (SSL) encryption. 

2. Store 

All papers about online transactions, such as product information, receipts, purchase confirmations, and records of any correspondence with the vendor, should be printed, saved, and kept on hand. If you are unhappy with how a transaction turned out, this information can help. 

3. Switch-Off 

When you are done purchasing, turn off the computer for your protection. An active computer means online hackers can access your data for extended periods. After checking out your cart, log off all your accounts to prevent future computer users from accessing your account and credit card details. 

4. Guard your private information. 

Never divulge more details than are strictly necessary to complete the deal. Likewise, be wary of emails that request details like your credit card or social security number. Use strong passwords that you change frequently and always use them. Use different passwords for each account since if one is compromised, they are all affected. 

5. Payment 

Use secure payment methods like credit cards or PayPal rather than cash or debit cards when purchasing. If a store must provide the customer with a refund following a fraudulent transaction, these give a chargeback option. Consumers may also challenge incorrect or fraudulent charges made to their credit card accounts thanks to the Fair Credit Billing Act of 1974. Therefore, when shopping online, it's crucial to check electronic bank statements and bills often. Some card issuers additionally provide single-use credit card numbers that safeguard your existing account. 

6. Electronic gadgets 

When purchasing online, use caution when utilizing mobile devices. Since many mobile-friendly versions of websites have shorter URLs without the secure socket layer, these devices might be less protected than desktops from malware and other cyber security dangers. 

Additionally, make sure your phone is password-protected to stop the theft of credit card numbers and shopping accounts if it is stolen. 

To safeguard against malware and other virtual threats, it is also advisable to regularly renew and update operating systems, browsers, and anti-malware software on your devices, such as desktop PCs. 

Additionally, avoid using public wifi when purchasing online, as this increases the accessibility of your personal information to third parties. 

7. Merchants 

Check the credentials of your retailers, similar to tip number one. Determine the exact location of the corporate headquarters and verify essential contact details, including email, postal address, and phone numbers. Use reputable sellers whom you are familiar with over time. 

Remember to be a Savvy Shopper when you shop online. 

Visit Adzapier to learn more about Data, Privacy, and Compliance. 

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Edtech & Elearning: The future of children, privacy and data

The world we know today has advanced technologies that assist in various fields of life. But what about the effects of advanced internet technology on children? Are young individuals in our society safe from malicious actors on the internet?  How can we make it safer for them?  

The first and obvious step is supervising and monitoring how children use the internet and related devices at home, schools, and elsewhere.  

Promoting awareness about Internet safety, such as checking for cookie consent notifications or reading the privacy policy before scrolling through websites, is another necessary step for safeguarding children’s online privacy. 

The Edtech effect 

Covid-19 has impacted the operations of educational institutions (schools, colleges, and private coaching classes), and online learning mode has gained popularity. By 2029, the global Edtech or education technology industry will hold a market size of $319.65 billion.  

Like most websites, Edtech sites collect student data to facilitate an enriching learning environment through rigorous analysis. Some of the most prominent reasons why Edtech companies collect student information are: 

Personalization 

Progress Tracking 

Research 

Marketing 

Higher education holds a larger market size, but a shift in learning dynamics in recent years has accelerated the use of Edtech tools in the K-12 category.  

The Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) is a category of online learning programs popular among students, working professionals, and eager learners. In 2019, the MOOC market was valued at $5.16 billion and was estimated to reach 21.14 billion by 2025.  

Google Apps for Education (GAFE) is a set of cloud-based applications that educators and students use to communicate, collaborate, and create. Schools and educators use GAFE tools such as Google Classroom and Chromebooks for learning.  

In the U.S., K-12 public schools, private schools, and colleges represent about 76 million students and the faculty market of 80.5 million potential GAFE users.  

Companies like YouTube, SkillShare, LinkedIn, and Udemy offer free and paid courses that enhance the learner’s knowledge and skillset on various topics. They collect user data, including, but not only, names, email addresses, IP addresses, and contact information. In the case of paid courses, Edtech companies collect postal codes and payment details from the customers.  

In 2019, the MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) market was valued at $5.16 billion. This figure is expected to reach as high as $21.14 billion by 2025.  

Online education is here to stay, and Edtech businesses will flourish.  

Edtech services make learning fun and interactive for kids and provide flexibility to working parents and caregivers. Edtech tools help caregivers and parents by: 

Scheduling Classes at Home 

Providing Real-time updates and Feedback 

Providing details on a child’s performance 

Providing an Immersive learning experience 

Providing Personalized learning modules 

Online learning has numerous perks, and lowered global carbon emission rates are one of them. But cloud learning comes with a silver lining.  

Considering young individuals, ignorance and lack of awareness about data privacy and data mining can cause: 

Misuse of student data 

As discussed earlier, Edtech companies collect personal details beyond names and email addresses. Companies do not ‘store’ your complete payment card details. Instead, they pick and record the last few digits of customers’ card details. Combining the numbers with a person’s postal code helps companies create a unique ID. Without cookies and other trackers, creating a unique ID with a combination of payment card and postal code details allows companies to track consumer behaviour. 

Companies like Google have been in hot waters for student data mining from the GAFE applications for the advantage of recruiters and marketers. Data collected about students can be sold to recruiters who hire candidates based on merit and eligibility. The availability of student performance records can make it easier for companies to skim through job applications and more challenging for young graduates to find well-paying jobs. 

Targeting of Caregivers and parents  

According to Pew Research, ages 11 and 12 are major parental milestones. A survey finds that 73% of parents consider it acceptable for children to have their phones only after reaching at least 12 years of age. 43% of parents think children can have their phones at 12-14. Only 22% of parents consider it okay for a child under 12 years to have a personal smartphone. 

The problem with having a personal smartphone at a young age is more extensive than it seems. Adults, let alone children, shrug off website disclaimers and privacy policies and fall prey to unauthorized data mining, processing, and target marketing. 

Companies that provide Edtech services offer an apt learning environment, and they want to fit in the growing online education market. Targeting parents, working professionals, educators, and caregivers is how the Edtech industry moves forward, whether consumers pay attention to user consent management options.  

Awareness and Agility for Data Privacy 

As responsible adults, we must ensure that our society's children understand how the Internet works. Promoting online education tools among children is an excellent way to distract them from vague content on the internet. Awareness of data safety measures among young individuals is essential to ensuring a safe online environment for learning. The following steps can help make Edtech experience safer for students and learners: 

Checking websites and mobile applications for a consent manager that allows setting preferences about ‘data mapping’ and ‘fingerprinting.’ 

Taking time to read the privacy policy of Edtech websites and mobile apps.  

Understanding the terms of the privacy policies and accepting/hiring services on preference and not influence.  

Understanding why cookie-less data collection processes like ‘fingerprinting’ require consent management is essential for businesses and consumers looking to make the most of the online education industry. Visit Adzapier.com to learn more about the uses of a cookie consent solution in the Edtech industry. 

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Handling Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs) for CCPA Compliance   

In today's data-driven world, businesses in the finance industry must comply with data privacy laws to protect their customers' personal information. The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) is one such regulation that affects businesses operating in California, regardless of where they are based. One of the critical requirements of the CCPA is the right of California residents to make a Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) to businesses that collect their data.   

This blog post will explain DSARs and how finance businesses can achieve CCPA compliance regarding DSARs.  

What is a DSAR?  

A Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) is a request made by an individual to a business or organization that holds their data. Under the CCPA, a California resident has the right to make a DSAR and request that a company disclose to them the categories and specific personal information that the business has collected, sold, or shared with other companies about them in the previous 12 months. An individual may request this information if they want to correct information, delete it, or further understand where their data is going. A company must respond to the request within 45 days of receiving it.  

How can finance businesses comply with DSAR under CCPA?  

Finance businesses can comply with DSAR under CCPA by following these steps:  

Develop a DSAR policy  

The first step to complying with DSAR under CCPA is to develop a DSAR policy. This policy should outline the business's procedures when receiving and responding to DSAR requests. The policy should include the following information:  

The process for making a DSAR  

The time frame for responding to DSARs (45 days)   

The information that the business will need to verify the identity of the requester (name, address, phone number, etc. – depending on the information requested)   

The categories of personal information that the business collects, sell or discloses  

The method of delivering the requested information to the requester  

The process for denying a DSAR request   

Train employees on DSAR policies and procedures.  

Finance businesses should train their employees on the DSAR policies and procedures to ensure they can appropriately respond to DSAR requests. Employees should be aware of the process for verifying the requester's identity and the information that can be disclosed.  

Verify the identity of the requester.  

Before responding to a DSAR, the business must verify the requester's identity. The company should use reasonable methods to verify the requester's identity, such as requesting that they provide their name, address, and other identifying information. If the requester is a minor, the business must obtain parental or guardian consent before disclosing their data.  

Gather the requested information.  

Once the requester's information has been verified, it's time to ensure you know what the user requested. It's no help to them if you give them unnecessary or burdensome facts they don't want. Ask pointed questions to ensure you offer enough and only what they want.   

Respond within the lawful timeframe.  

Under CCPA, you have 45 days to respond to a customer's DSAR. If you don't respond within that time frame, you may face fines or penalties from regulatory bodies. Your response must be readable and portable, whether electronically or on paper. You must also provide this information for free. Your customers do not have to pay to get this data from you.   

Financial institutions face special restrictions – how can I be sure my business is DSAR compliant?   

The right DSAR solution will give you the information you need to stay generally compliant (e.g., what any business needs regarding DSARs) and help you adhere to the laws that apply specifically to your industry. You could be fined up to $7,500 per intentional violation. In addition, you may have to disclose any violations to the public as soon as they are discovered, which could harm your reputation – and that’s especially harmful for smaller to mid-sized FinTech companies who rely on the good word of their customers to build their business successfully.  

FinTech companies have other compliance issues to look out for as well. For instance, you'll have to consider the Financial Modernization Act (FMA) and the Graham-Leach-Bliley Act. And as always, the Federal Trade Commission (FTA) is very interested in the goings-on of financial institutions.   

If you work in FinTech, you’re probably aware of Yodlee – but did you know about the class-action complaint that’s been brought against them by the CCPA? Yodlee wasn’t vulnerable because they collect data from many banks, but rather, because they sold that data to other financial institutions without proper disclosure. And therein lies the difference. It’s normal to process data, but for financial institutions, not following the proper steps to protect it can have grave repercussions.  

We cannot stress this point enough: A DSAR solution isn't the only thing you need to stay compliant, but it is one crucial component that can keep you on the right path. Many legal hurdles and loopholes exist, but this can be done quickly.  

DSAR, FinTech, CCPA, and you!   

When you follow the correct steps, you can check DSAR compliance off your list of things to do. The way to go is an automated system that doesn't allow for errors or backdoors. Your customers depend on you to keep some of their most sensitive information safe – and give them the access and ability to change it (if need be) promptly and responsibly.   

The Adzapier DSAR solution   

Adzapier has a DSAR solution built for all kinds of businesses – and it's also FinTech-ready. We'll provide the tools to manage, monitor, and respond to DSARs within minutes. The key here is within minutes. That's an essential factor when dealing with customers who want to know about your information regarding themselves and their finances. And usually, they don't want to wait 45 days, nor should they have to.   

Because FinTech companies are often under such heavy scrutiny, it’s crucial to have immaculate records at your fingertips so you can provide requestors with the most accurate information. And if an audit or complaint occurs, you’ll need these same records to protect your business. Adzapier’s DSAR management solution uses automation to reduce the risk of human error and maintain the best possible records with up-to-the minute accuracy.  

Our data privacy experts are here to help explain the whole process to you. It doesn't take long, either. Within 30 minutes, you'll have all the information you need to proceed with confidence.  

Schedule a Demo    

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Why Adtech needs cookie consent to increase ROAS

Consumers want data privacy. But Advertisers need their data. 

Since the advent of data privacy regulations such as GDPR, CCPA, CPA, LGPD, and much more, it has become inconvenient for marketers and advertisers to follow the age-old path of traditional advert targeting with behavioral profiles. 

Tech companies like Google and Meta are architecting new Adtech models. Google's commitment to phase out third-party cookies by 2024 will drastically reduce the Ad revenue of the American advertising industry by at least 50%, as per Google's research. 

That's why they have developed a Privacy Sandbox that will allow the advertiser to keep track of the user's data while protecting the user's privacy. But this will surely give companies like Google and others a total monopoly over the Adtech industry, probably tripling their profits in the coming decade. 

So if not, Google's Privacy Sandbox and Meta's new Adtech model are what people need clarification on; what will eventually help marketers and advertisers build a data-driven campaign against the data privacy storm that is shaping worldwide? 

A cookie consent solution is the only way. 

Adtech 2.0: Moving from traditional advertising to consent-driven advertising. 

The biggest challenge that advertisers and marketers face today is getting users to consent to use cookies and similar trackers on their devices to collect their data. Apart from that, it has become mandatory for them to ensure the data's security and protect the data chain management across all the organization's departments. 

This requires a holistic consent management framework that acquires, accesses, and processes user data with the utmost security and ensures the protection of personal information across the channel of business operations. 

Also, many Adtech companies, who are serious about building a long-term loyal brand for their customers, have started to spend money on human resources and personnel who put data privacy within the organization, creating a genuine culture of consumer privacy. 

The data privacy laws have forced SMBs in Adtech and Marketing industries to focus on simplifying their data flows and improving their transparency in all business channels with Compliance. 

Regarding targeted and programmatic advertising, ad tech companies have used third-party cookies to design and execute their marketing strategies and campaigns. Well, not anymore. 

Apple's Safari and Mozilla's Firefox have already phased out third-party cookies, and Google's Chrome plans to do so by 2024. On top of that, data privacy regulations, such as GDPR, make it compulsory for businesses to block all third-party cookies and other non-essential cookies until the user consents. 

What is the way forward for companies to advertise their products and services? 

Getting a cookie consent compliance will do. 

Cookie consent: Why the Adtech industry can't ignore it anymore! 

Even after three years of enacting GDPR in the European Union, more than 92% of the website need to follow the Cookie Law. 

The Ad-revenues are decreasing daily as the third parties cookies are being phased out, and marketers need to develop a better content strategy that will get them more traffic. 

But having traffic is not enough. It would be best to have a framework or a system that exhibits responsibility and respects consumers' privacy. This will help you to establish a long-term relationship with your customers, eventually leading to a better customer lifetime value. 

So that's why Adtech and marketing companies must be aware of their obligations under the data privacy laws such as GDPR and ePrivacy Directive, aka the Cookie Law, concerning cookie consent.    

Here are ten reasons why SMBs need cookie consent: 

The GDPR and ePrivacy Directive require companies to inform users when they store or access data on their devices. 

Cookie consent ensures that users understand what data is being collected and how it is used. 

Cookie consent gives users control over which cookies they accept and reject. 

Cookie consent helps protect the user's privacy and data security. 

It helps companies comply with GDPR. 

It helps companies avoid legal repercussions due to non-compliance with GDPR and the ePrivacy directive. 

It helps companies maintain user trust. 

It helps companies increase user engagement. 

It helps companies create a competitive advantage. 

It helps companies maximize the effectiveness of their digital marketing campaigns. 

In-App consent 

Only having a cookie consent banner for your website is not enough. Apps need it, too. 

Advertisers and marketers are heavily focusing on mobile advertising through mobile geo-targeting. It is a way of targeting mobile ads catering to specific locations. This is done with GPS data, wireless network signals, or detecting the user's location.  

A mobile-first strategy with cookie consent compliance will undoubtedly impact ad tech's revenue model. 

Adzapier's Cookie Consent: Make Marketing easy with Compliance 

Gaining consent has become a synonym for building customer trust and transparency. And today, using cookies without permission will surely bring mistrust, damage brand reputation, and lead to regulatory fines. 

Managing multiple users' consents - from request to collection to process - without automation will be highly complex. Adzapier's Cookie consent management makes it easy to capture cookie consent preferences, automate Compliance with several regulations and build customer trust. 

Customize cookie consent management that fits your brand. 

Achieve multi-regional cookie compliance with significant data privacy laws such as GDPR, CCPA, CPA, LGPD, ePrivacy Directive, and more. 

Monitor and record user consent through Adzapier's Session recording helping your organization with compliance proof for Suprise Data Audit. 

Optimize the opt-in rate with individualization, AB testing, and informed consent that gives detailed reporting and analytics. 

Get Adzapier's Geo-targeting feature that provides a relevant cookie consent banner to users from different regions with different privacy laws. 

Increase transparency with customers and reduce reputational risk with an auto-cookie blocker to block non-essential cookies until the user consents. 

Schedule a demo with Adzapier to learn how your business can achieve cookie consent compliance in minutes. 

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The only way to increase consumer satisfaction in a data-driven world 

Since the dawn of the internet, cookies have been marketers' and advertisers' mantra to understand their online user's behavior to help sell them better products and services. 

But as things become more valuable, they are bound to be exploited. 

Before data privacy laws came into action, many businesses collected, processed, and even shared/sold the personal data of millions of customers without their consent. 

Result? 

Google has been accused of selling user data for advertising purposes without user consent. 

Until 2018, Facebook shared user data with third-party companies without explicit user consent. 

Amazon has been accused of using consumer data to boost its retail business without permission. 

Microsoft was accused of using consumer data to target ads to users without consent. 

These companies, though highly profitable, have been in damage control ever since. Not only the big tech companies, eCommerce brands like Sephora, Decathlon, and Jo & Joe, have also exploited cookie consent by sharing data unlawfully. People have become more conscious of sharing personal information with businesses.

Since GDPR came into effect, it has come down heavily on businesses that violated the ePrivacy Directive, colloquially called the cookie law. 

The EU's cookie law requires you to: 

Block all cookies and similar trackers until the user's explicit consent to their deployment. 

Inform the end-users clear and comprehensive understanding of all cookies and trackers embedded in your domain in a simple, laymen's language. 

Request users for consent to all cookies and trackers in use on your domain in as friendly a way as possible. 

Give end-users the right to refuse or withdraw consent as quickly as possible. 

But before all this, you need to know just one thing. 

Why and how will cookie consent drive profits for your business? 

"Data is costlier than oil."  

~ Economic times 

You would agree with me on this one. 

Every marketer and advertiser's dream is to make that one content or ad copy that will triple the company's revenue in a snap. But you need to know what works with your customers to do that. And for that, you know what you need! Data. 

The advent of privacy laws restricts you from collecting and processing personal data until the user consents to it. But that's the way forward for businesses. 

If you want data, respecting your customer's privacy is what GDPR and other data privacy laws wish to out of you. 

But complying with data privacy laws has enormous benefits that companies must capitalize on. 

Compliance with laws and regulations: SMBs must ensure they comply with their respective cookie regulations, such as the GDPR in Europe, to avoid costly fines.  

User experience: Providing a comprehensive cookie notice and allowing users to opt out of cookies easily helps improve the user experience and makes it more likely that users will stay on a website. 

Data security: Storing cookie data on a user's device properly can help protect the information from being accessed by malicious actors. 

Targeted content and advertising: Cookies allow businesses to provide targeted content and advertising to users, which can help increase conversions. 

Improved website performance: Cookies can be used to enhance a website's performance, as they store vital information such as user settings and preferences, which can help speed up loading times. 

Understanding user behavior: Cookies provide valuable insight into user behavior, which can be used to optimize the website for better user engagement. 

Improved customer service: Knowing the user's behavior can help businesses provide better customer service, as they can personalize the experience and address customer issues more effectively. 

Additional insights: Cookies can provide further insights into user behavior, such as which pages they view, how long they stay on the page, and what actions they take. 

Enhanced tracking: Cookies allow for improved monitoring of user data, which can be used for analytics, attribution, and remarketing purposes. 

Security and privacy: Cookies can help ensure user security and privacy by encrypting the data stored on their device and making sure it is only accessible to those with the correct credentials 

Adzapier's Cookie Consent: Building Customer lifetime value 

Adzapier eases over complex cookie compliance in a few clicks so that you can focus on your business. 

Three reasons why Adzapier's cookie consent will help marketers and advertisers to increase consent opt-in rates and time spent on the website to enhance user experience. 

Consent Recording: Not only prove your compliance with data privacy but also understand how your customer interacts with your website with session recording that legally records the user's consent and web session on the website. 

Geo-location Targeting: Users from different privacy laws will be automatically provided with relevant cookie consent banners complying with the respective cookie law. This helps to enhance consent opt-ins while maintaining cookie compliance with international privacy laws. 

GDPR Auto cookie blocking: Be compliant with the world's stringent privacy law by blocking all unnecessary cookies until the user consents to cookie use through an affirmative action (like clicking ‘accept cookies’ on a consent banner) 

If you're still willing to learn more or need help complying with GDPR, CCPA, LGPD, ePrivacy Directive, IAB TCF v2.0, and more, connect with us anytime to get assistance regarding our cookie management solutions. Adzapier's CMP is a cookie consent solution that helps you configure, automate, and deploy a seamless consent experience on your website. 

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Skip fines with consent management

$4.35 million. 

That's the average cost, according to Forbes, for noncompliance with data privacy and data breach. 

But along with this comes the long-term impact on the dollar value of the business due to reputational damage, brand erosion, and trust issue. 

Apart from that, small and medium enterprises are particularly at risk as the amount of noncompliance, i.e., fines and penalties, withers away their ability to operate a business profitably. And this is why a business must have a consent management platform in today's data-driven, privacy-oriented landscape.  

Consent Management Platform: A business's reconciler 

What is a consent management platform? 

Website and mobile app owners use a consent management platform to obtain users' data through consent. A consent management platform is a holistic solution having different features and tools. Like an inbuilt customizable cookie consent banner, geolocation automatically detects the user's location, and auto-cookie blocking doesn't deploy cookies until the user gives their due consent. 

CMP, in general, helps you to gain insight into the customer's lifecycle, assisting a marketer in mapping out a compelling consumer journey from the moment a user opts in till their data removal. You can track, record and maintain all the data subjects' preferences and requests. 

It also makes it easy for you to centrally manage notices and propagate them to all consent collection channels. 

A CMP platform like Adzapier's, helps a website or mobile app owner inform their use of the cookies and tracker what kind of personal data will be collected, how it will be processed, and much more. 

Why Consent management platform is a must-have for business? 

There are two significant reasons why CMP has and will become mandatory shortly for businesses. 

Data privacy laws 

Consumer awareness 

Data privacy laws leave no room for businesses to dodge user privacy and collect personal information without consent. 

EU came up with General Data Protection Regulation, also known as GDPR, which has come down heavily on companies failing to comply with users' data privacy. Facebook, Google, Amazon, Instagram, and WhatsApp; have all made their bid of noncompliance by paying a hefty fine of roughly $1.5 billion collectively. 

Traditionally, it has been common practice among businesses to trade the user's data like a commodity with marketers and other entities who use it for retargeting adverts. And this is the reason why data privacy laws such as GDPR and CCPA/CPRA have come into effect. 

GDPR makes it mandatory for businesses to ask for explicit cookie consent from the user for cookie usage on the user's devices. In addition, it has made it a legal obligation for businesses to provide a detailed declaration of the data collection and its processing. Website/mobile app owners must also take user consent before selling or sharing personal data. 

Businesses must strictly follow these data privacy laws. Failure to do so may result in drastic consequences like the Cambridge Analytica incident, where 50 million Facebook accounts were used for psychological manipulation through behavioral profiling to assist Donald Trump in the 2016 elections. This was considered a massive breach of consent by Facebook, as the consumers were unaware of how their personal information was being used for malicious purposes. Facebook had to pay a fine of $633,000 for this breach. 

Thus, a robust consent management platform will become indispensable to an organization's profitability and brand building. And with this article, you'll learn how to set up CMP in your business operations seamlessly and be up to date with significant data privacy laws, making your chances of noncompliance negligible. 

Adzapier's CMP: Your search for perfection ends here 

While most consent management platforms can get the job done, there are a few in the market that exactly match the intricate regulation of the global data privacy laws and what your business needs. 

The process of efficient consent management starts with proper notifications. 

Primary System 

A user must be informed in detail of the data collection process and the purpose for which it will be processed. 

A detailed declaration must be outlined regarding the data collection and its process in your privacy policy, cookie banner, or both. 

The user must be free to decide whether to accept or reject a particular consent. 

Consent must be captured, recorded, and consolidated at a central storage or a dashboard with easy accessibility to any data subject request. 

Privacy Center 

Creating, maintaining, and publishing your organization's privacy mission statement, customer engagement, and articulating how and why you collect and process their data. 

Capitalize on your commitment to the user's privacy and build a long-term relationship through trust. 

Cookie Scan and Cookie/Form-based Consent Management 

It has an inbuilt cookie scanner to scan websites of different types of cookies and categorize them automatically. This includes all third parties. 

Providing tools to capture cookie consent and management into web pages. 

Propagation Management 

To meet business needs, a CMP shall streamline notifying, collecting, and propagating the consent to an approved 3rd party. This includes:   

1. Obliging to the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) framework 

Customizable cookie consent banner that allows users to select companies with whom the publisher can share data. 

We enable websites to pass customer consent decisions within the supply chain. 

Map and Correlate 

1. Collect, regulate, and combine consent from various sources. 

2. Associate multiple consent actions by the similar data subject 

Link consent to identity. 

Provide a high-level enterprise-wide perspective of consent based on identities (employees, customers, vendors, temporary users, etc.) 

3. Evaluate policies from a central location 

Detect data that is retained with or without explicit consent. 

Track, Govern, and Manage Consent 

A CMP should be in the best interest of the user. It must enable and comply with their decision to withdraw consent to the processing or sharing/selling of personal information. 

1. Consent management portal 

Tools to manage global consent with the ability to generate decisions for internal business applications. 

Cookie consent with on-site demand consent banner. 

2. Integrate consent management into data maps and business workflows. 

Integrating consent management into data maps. 

Integrating consent decisions by session recording to satisfy GDPR Article 30 requirements. 

3. Single Identity Dashboard 

Each data subject can be visualized with a comprehensive dashboard that includes visualization of personal data processed within the organization for that user and consent validity. 

Conclusion 

Consent is one of the most critical data privacy requirements worldwide, and businesses must comply. Manual methods to fulfilling consent are costly, tedious, and risky. Implementing Adzapier's CMP is a quick fix to shield enterprises from unnecessary fines that can indeed shut down your business. 

The severity of enforcement for consent violations is inevitable. Be wise to invest in automation early in the compliance process rather than regretting later. Prepare yourself for international and upcoming data privacy laws and scale your business in a new way. 

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CMP Consent: Transforming Privacy Management for SMBs!

Over the last decade, online businesses (and services) have witnessed many data breaches and security rights violations. Right from Yahoo’s 2013 data breach to the recent data rights violations by Meta, there is a lot that businesses can learn from the instances. Business owners and marketers should focus on using non-intrusive data collection processes. Furthermore, obliging the customers’ data privacy rights is crucial. In that regard, a CMP consent tool is the right solution for small and medium scale companies. 

Business owners and marketers are responsible for deploying best practices that ensure the data privacy of their customers and employees. Website (and app) visitors must have clear information on a company’s data collection practices and cookie use policies. Moreover, businesses must always seek user consent for employing cookies and similar tracking technologies on user devices.  

User Consent: The Ticket to Authorized Data Collection! 

Consent is an individual’s response to a website’s (or app’s) use of cookies on personal devices (such as mobile phones, tablets, and PCs.) A website (or mobile app) visitor acknowledges the cookie policy and placement on personal devices by providing consent. On the other hand, withdrawal of consent means that the website (or app) visitor does not agree with the terms of cookie use.  

What is a Consent Management Platform? 

Consent is necessary for processing the personal data of an individual. A CMP (Consent Management Platform) is a tool that helps businesses oblige to the requirements of individual data privacy rights. It allows informing website (and app) visitors about the company’s cookie policies and helps collect consent for cookie use. The most important offering of a CMP is that it allows businesses to become transparent about cookies and data policies with customers.  

Being transparent is an essential step for building trusting and lasting customer relationships. Therefore, implementing an effective CMP solution should be the top priority of businesses focusing on building better customer relationships. 

Why should small and medium-scale businesses consider a CMP? 

Data privacy laws like the GDPR, CNIL, CCPA, and VCDPA are the same for all kinds of businesses, with only a few exceptions. 

Businesses with 250 or fewer employees may not maintain records of processing activities (RoPA) for the data they collect from customers. However, a RoPA is necessary for a small (or medium) business that poses a high risk to consumers’ data security.  

If a small business sells or processes customer data to execute targeted advertisement campaigns, it must gain prior consent for selling and processing personal data.  

The laws also require businesses to oblige an individual’s fundamental data privacy rights (such as the ‘right to access’ or ‘right to erasure’).   

Following are the top three reasons why small and medium-sized businesses should consider a CMP: 

The need for a Data Protection Officer (DPO) 

A DPO knows the data protection laws and has the skills to ensure a business’s compliance. Data privacy regulations require that companies employ a DPO to oblige individual data privacy rights. While large organizations can afford a DPO on payroll, small and medium businesses may see it as an overhead expense.  

Privacy regulations consider that small and medium businesses may not have the resources in a similar capacity as large companies. Therefore, it is acceptable that many organizations can have a single DPO available as a part-time employee.  

While small businesses may not have to hire a DPO, they still need to inform consumers about using various first and third-party cookies. A CMP is a small business’s personal DPO on a budget.  

Gain Consumer Trust 

Using an effective CMP solution allows websites (and apps) to display information regarding a company’s cookie-use policies. The tool also helps companies become transparent about different cookies they intend to use on visitor devices and collect informed and ‘freely given’ consent from customers. Thus, helping small and medium businesses gain customer trust by addressing individual data privacy rights.  

Comply with Data Protection Laws 

A comprehensive CMP helps businesses by ensuring compliance with a cluster of data protection regulations such as GDPR, CCPA, LGDPA, and VCDPA (among others.) The tool enables features that allow businesses to acknowledge the privacy rights of their data subjects (individuals who provide personal information.) 

How much does a consent management platform cost? 

An effective CMP solution does not have to be an expensive deal. You can find a consent tool starter pack for as low as $10. However, businesses that need a comprehensive solution that offers seamless cookie banners, compliance support, and fast response should expect the prices to be around $80-$100.  

How does Adzapier’s CMP help small and medium-scale businesses? 

Adzapier offers a comprehensive consent management solution for small and medium scale businesses that need GDPR, CCPA, VCDPA, and LGDPA compliance. The following is a list of features offered by the tool: 

Offers Cookie Scanning  

Adzapier consent manager allows scanning websites (or mobile apps) for various cookies, including first party and third-party cookies. 

Allows Cookie Categorization 

The tool quickly categorizes cookies (such as functional or advertisement cookies). Categorizing cookies is necessary as your customers should always be informed about what (and how many) cookies you intend to place on their devices. 

Helps Collect Valid Consent 

Adzapier CMP helps collect consent from your website (or mobile app) visitors by welcoming them with a consent banner.  

Enables Auto-Cookie Blocking 

The tool blocks unnecessary third-party cookies on user devices unless website (or app) visitors consent. This feature is helpful as it ensures that your websites and mobile apps do not violate customers’ privacy rights by overruling their wishes against cookie use.  

Allows Banner Customization 

The GDPR (or other privacy regulations) do not limit how companies want to disclose their cookie-use policies on websites. If the information is understandable and accessible to visitors of the site (or app), the banner or form is acceptable by the law. Therefore, companies can customize their cookie banners to match the design and style of their websites (or mobile apps.) 

Enables Consent Tracking 

Adzapier’s CMP allows tracking of the details of consent given by a website or app visitor. You can sort the collected collection by categories (such as ‘accept all’ or ‘reject all’). The tool also allows for maintaining a record of consent that help with clearing data privacy audits.  

Adzapier has added benefits: 

Seamless integration with websites (and mobile apps) 

Adzapier’s Consent management solution offers WordPress, Shopify, Blogger, Squarespace, and HTML integrations (among others), allowing seamless use with various platforms. It does not affect the loading speed of websites or mobile apps and is easy to implement. 

Installation Demo and Support 

Installing the Adzapier CMP is easy as it comes in the form of a copy-paste code. However, expert demos and installation support are readily available for users who need assistance.  

Easy-to-access dashboard 

Adzapier CMP offers a hassle-free dashboard that addresses and manages cookie consent without needing to switch between screens or portals.  

Scheduled Cookie Scans 

The tool allows scheduling weekly or monthly scans for websites and mobile apps. This feature ensures that the list of active and inactive cookies for a website (or mobile app) always stays updated. 

Integration with Google Consent Mode 

An excellent feature of Adzapier’s CMP is the Google Consent Mode. It allows blocking third-party scripts and cookies (from Google services such as google tags or google analytics) unless website (or app) visitors consent.  

The Adzapier CMP or Consent manager is available for a limited-period free trial. Therefore, if you want an effective solution for managing user consent, visit the website and take the free trial today! 

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Maximizing User Control, Privacy, and Transparency with a Cookie Consent Manager

Cookie proliferation is a bitter-sweet truth of the internet age. For those unfamiliar, cookies are tiny bits of data used by websites and apps to monitor user behavior and provide tailored suggestions. While they can be helpful, they can also raise privacy concerns when utilized for certain purposes, such as advertising. 

Today's technological advances have given consumers more control over their data usage. But with numerous privacy regulations that businesses must comply with, it's becoming challenging for business owners and site visitors to stay updated and comprehend how data is utilized. In the sections below, we've discussed everything you need to know about Cookie Consent Management. We have also highlighted key features to look out for when choosing cookie management tools and the benefits of using them in your website. 

Understanding Cookie Consent Management  

Cookie consent is the new normal for online user experience. At its core, cookie consent management is a way for website owners to gain explicit consent from their visitors before storing cookies on their devices. It's also a critical step in GDPR compliance. 

The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires all websites that collect personal data from EU citizens to obtain explicit consent before storing cookies on user devices. So what does this mean for you as a business owner or site owner?  

Well, if you collect any personal data from users based in Europe, you have to provide them with clear information about what you are doing with their data, why you are collecting it, and how you are using it. You also have to allow them to opt out of having their personal information used for advertising.  

Choosing a Cookie Consent Manager and Cookie Search Tool 

A cookie consent manager is a tool that helps you automatically obtain consent from users to store cookies on their computers. As the number of websites using cookies has increased, so has the need for effective management tools. A cookie consent manager and cookie search tool can be an invaluable asset to any company that uses cookies in its marketing efforts or to track user behavior. 

Cookie search tools are useful for businesses and marketers who need to track what cookies are used on their websites. This can help them ensure that their site's visitors are getting the best possible experience, and it can also help them find out what kind of information they're gathering from visitors. 

When choosing a cookie consent manager, make sure it's easy to set up and manage with an intuitive interface. The banners should be customizable, allowing users to easily accept or choose cookie preferences. Your cookie search manager should also support all the cookie consent best practices, such as providing a link to your cookie policy and properly positioning the pop-ups on every page of your website.  

The user consent manager should also have a consent log, which documents the users' cookie consent preference for future reference. This can give you insights into your users' preferences and how you can improve the site experience. On the other hand, a cookie search tool should have the following capabilities: 

Excellent search functionality with the option to search for cookies using domain names, keywords, or cookie names.  

Detailed display of cookie information, including cookie types, names, domains, expiration dates, etc.  

Advanced filtering and automatic detection of specific cookies.  

Export functionality to file formats such as excel or CSV to allow for further analysis and reporting.  

Real-time search results and regular updates allow fast and efficient cookie management. 

Why Integrate Cookie Manager and Search Tool into Your Website  

If you're a website owner, you know that cookies are essential to your business. They help you track the visitors who come to your site, keep track of their preferences and behaviors, and ensure they get the best possible experience. Here are the other reasons you should integrate cookie consent manager with cookie search tool into your website: 

Enhanced user privacy. Your site visitors can see what cookies are stored on their devices, allowing them to easily manage their privacy. 

Compliance. With new privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA, it's crucial to give your users control over their data. Integrating these tools will help you stay compliant and protect your users' data. 

Transparency. Make things clear for your users by showing them exactly what cookies are stored and how they are used. This will build trust with your users and enhance their overall experience. 

Stay Ahead of Your Business and Compliance Needs  

The cookie consent manager and search tool are essential for any business looking to stay ahead of the competition. Integrating your site with a reliable cookie consent manager and search tool is crucial whether you want to boost the user experience or remain compliant with the various cookie laws. You can seek professional guidance if you need help choosing or integrating these tools into your site. 

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DSAR Process Checklist: Dos and Don'ts for 2023! 

The internet is a useful yet dangerous thing.’  

As internet users get more aware of their privacy rights, the volume of Data Privacy Access Requests (or DSAR requests) received by companies increases exponentially. The number of people accessing privacy rights under the CCPA has doubled in the past two years.  

At the end of 2021, ‘Do not sell’ and ‘do not share’ requests flashed around all kinds of websites and mobile apps. The enforcement of CCPA meant that companies could no longer collect, share or sell an individual’s personal information without prior consent. The law also enforces that a company must always address privacy requests of individuals whose data it collects, shares, or sells.  

Maintaining precise records of data subject requests is the best way to guarantee successful audits and privacy compliance. The rise of new and improved data laws meant businesses could no longer find loopholes in the regulatory processes. Therefore, companies need scalable Data privacy management and Regulatory Compliance solutions.  

A straightforward process for addressing individual DSARs is crucial for building a long-term relationship with your data subjects. 

Read along, and we’ll discuss how you can ensure compliance with evolving data privacy laws. 

Know Your DSARs 

Individuals who interact with your company’s website (or mobile app) and provide their personal information are your data subjects. Under the protection of various data privacy laws, your data subjects have the right to seek information on (or object) the collection, sharing, and selling of their data. A DSAR is, therefore, a feasible way of seeking privacy rights on personal data.  

Your data subjects are free to send written or verbal (or otherwise indicated) DSARs, preventing you from collecting, accessing, sharing, or selling their personal data. A business is responsible for fulfilling any DSAR requests they receive from a person who has shared their personal information on the company website(s) or mobile app(s). 

The Laws Against Data Privacy Breaches are getting more Stringent. Get Ready for a Change! 

The 2018 enforcement of the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) was an essential step in solidifying data protection laws. The law prevented businesses from breaching individual data privacy rights by ensuring compliance. However, there have been instances where big companies were caught tricking the law for personal benefits.  

In the past two years, Big-tech companies like Meta, Amazon, and H&M have been guilty of trespassing privacy laws several times. In total, privacy breaches have cost these companies financial fines of over $1.45 billion. While big companies can manage the financial penalties of a lawsuit, the reputational damages stay for a long time.  

In the aftermath of unforgiving fines and penalties, the big companies have made significant amends in their data privacy management processes.  

CCPA and CPRA: the laws you must not trespass! 

The CCPA places obligations on businesses to address individual DSARs regarding: 

the personal information they collect about an individual (data subject) 

data deletion 

opting out of the sale of personal/ sensitive data 

correction of inaccurate information 

setting preferences (or limits) on the use or sharing of personal information 

Under the CCPA, privacy violations against minors (children under the age of 16) are subject to hefty fines and severe penalties.  

California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) is an amendment to CCPA. The law adds to the regulatory ‘safety net’ data subjects can rely upon. It enables extended data privacy by: 

Expanding the definition of personal identification information (PII) to sensitive individual data including, but not limited to, 

Healthcare records 

Bank account and financial details 

Genetic data 

Religious or philosophical beliefs 

Racial or ethnic origins, and 

Personal chats (on messaging and emailing platforms like WhatsApp and Gmail) 

Tripling the fines relating to the violation of children’s data protection rights.  

Enabling consumers to hold businesses accountable for failing to protect their most sensitive personal information from hackers and security breaches. 

Ensuring that, like any internet user, employees and independent contractors can avail data subject rights. 

Equal (and brutal) Penalty for lawbreakers 

Together, CCPA and CPRA regulations place obligations on for-profit businesses that have a presence in California and: 

Have a gross annual revenue of over $25 million, 

Collect, buy, sell, or share personal information of more than 100,000 California residents, households, or devices; or 

Generate 50% or more of their annual revenue from buying, selling, and sharing an individual’s data. 

Don’t Bypass the Law  

The CPRA amendment has helped eradicate the weaknesses of CCPA and empower data privacy rights in California. The laws are the benchmark of data privacy in America, and other states are deploying (or working on) similar laws.  

Here’s more information on Countrywide data privacy laws. 

Data privacy regulations not only affect big businesses but can also impact small to medium-scale companies.  

As of yet, we hear news about sanctions and penalties on big businesses. Soon, the regulatory bodies may start auditing other (high-risk, small to medium-scale) companies for privacy compliance. Failure to prove compliance can lead to severe financial and reputational damages that growing businesses can’t afford! 

The CPRA levies a minimum fine of up to $750 on companies that violates individual data subject rights. 

That’s a small amount for failing one DSAR request. However, by the end of 2024, 75% of the world’s population will be protected by effective data protection laws. Widespread awareness will be a propelling factor for increased numbers of data deletion and preference management requests.  

Upon receiving a privacy request, businesses must respond proactively once the CPRA comes into full effect in July 2023.  

Prepare and Protect 

Under the worst circumstances, regulatory agencies may impose privacy audits on a business, which must pass by producing a record of all customer data collected since 1 January 2022. 

Since you cannot control or avoid the privacy requests sent by your data subjects, you must ensure compliance and always be ready for audits.  

No Discrimination, seriously! 

Data privacy laws are non-discriminatory and provide equal rights to customers, employees, and independent contractors. Therefore you cannot make the mistake of addressing a customer’s privacy request and ignoring that of an employee.  

The protection of employee data privacy is as crucial as safeguarding consumer rights. Therefore, you must implement comprehensive data management and privacy request practices and handle employee DSARs. 

Upon receiving a data request from an employee (or contractor, job applicants, etc.), you must oblige and acknowledge the requirements for the same. 

Exclusive Management of Employee PII and DSARs 

Managing employee data and addressing privacy requests can be tedious. However, just like your customers, employees can access the right to know what happens with their personal information. Therefore, you should consider the following: 

Keeping track of Employee Data 

Your employee’s data can be scattered around various channels like emails and personal chats (on skype, slack, Asana, and other workspaces). As a company, you will receive information on employee health, family affairs, and financial statuses at some point.  

It is your responsibility to safeguard sensitive personal information against theft or misuse. Therefore, you must ensure keeping track of employee data across all channels (including handwritten communications). 

Not collecting excessive employee data. 

You can not hoard an employee’s sensitive personal data without prior consent. Employees can object to collecting nonessential personal data, and you can’t oppose it.  

Using automated data centralization 

Maintaining clear and accessible records of employee data is a cumbersome task as the information does not come from a single source/platform. Therefore, you should consider automating the data management process and saving time and effort. 

Deploying a data subject request tool 

Managing privacy requests is easier with automated DSAR tools. Software integration allows addressing individual DSARs without the chance of missing deadlines.  

What happens if you send a privacy request fulfillment mail to the wrong email address? Accidentally, you will share the personal information of an individual with another. You will end up sharing personal information without prior consent and creating another (potential) lawsuit for your business. 

Automating the employee and Consumer data access request fulfillment helps avoid confusion.  

Read this article to set up your DSAR flow. 

Adzapier DSAR Manager: A Seamless Software Integration for your Business 

‘Let’s make the internet safer for your customers and employees.’ 

Managing customer and employee DSAR is essential for compliance with data laws. The Adzapier manager is a data subject request tool that offers seamless integration with the website(s) and mobile app(s). Uploading a simple ‘code’ on your website’s (or app’s) backend is all you’ll have to do to unlock useful features like ‘DSAR workflows’ and ‘Email integration.’ 

The pre-set ‘workflows’ allow for streamlining the DSAR management process. Implementing the pre-set workflows will enable you to track the progress of individual data subject requests. An email integration will allow you to respond to consumer DSARs without leaving the platform. You can simply choose an email template from the user portal, customize, and send it to the ‘right’ person.  

Adzapier’s DSAR manager will set you free by ensuring compliance with the changing data privacy laws. Take our 14-day free trial and see how you can transform your DSAR process flows with a ‘tiny code’! 

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Cookie Consent: Why Businesses Can’t Ignore It Anymore

Since the French Data privacy watchdog CNIL and the Irish Data protection commission DPC fined TikTok and Facebook for using shady cookie consent practices, companies worldwide are growing wary of their business compliance.

Cookie law, or the ePrivacy Directive, was first enacted in 2002 and later amended in 2009 and has since been the chief regulator of electronic privacy, including email marketing and cookie usage in the EU territory. It has added extra layers of compliance to an already well-established Data privacy law, GDPR, i.e., General Data Protection Regulation.

Data privacy laws have become highly dynamic, keeping businesses up with the ever-evolving data privacy world. It is time for them to check their cookie consent compliance and rethink because it's more important than ever to do so.

Businesses in America after GDPR: What do they need to do?

It was a moment of joy and victory for the European people when the European Union established the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018.

But American businesses were concerned about how they would still be able to advertise and market products and services without data collection through cookies.

Since the dawn of the Internet, cookies and other trackers, such as pixels tags, device fingerprinting, and unique identifiers, have been used to collect personal data, which included login credentials, shopping carts, wish lists, user behavior, and much more. This data is later processed and used for targeted ads and remarketing of products and services.

Businesses could trick the user's behavior through data by providing personalized messaging and behavioral adverts.

But there has been one particular reason behind the worldwide awakening of privacy rights and data activism.

If companies were to use customer data to be able to remarket or advertise their products, then it would have been fine. But most companies sell the personal data of individuals, without their consent, to other companies. This became a huge problem.

Cookie consent: where does your business fail

Even though companies understood that they had only one option to collect personal data if they complied with Data privacy laws such as GDPR and CCPA, they still needed to abide by the provisions laid down entirely.

Under GDPR, a website or an app must not load cookies and trackers onto the user's device unless they have given consent through a cookie consent banner. Also, consent under GDPR should be given freely, informed, specific, and unambiguous.

Businesses know that no user will give their data without consent, and people are likelier to click "Reject" if given an option. So, companies have been trying to bypass the GDPR and the cookie law with dark cookie consent practices.

Dark Practice #1:

Many business entities are still not very transparent about how they use cookies to collect and process personal data.

They have developed a complicated privacy policy or cookie policy, which needs to clarify more about why data has been collected and how it will be used.

They link these pages in their cookie banner to get the user to read the privacy policy, which doesn't make much sense.

Dark Practice #2:

Another way businesses try to manipulate users into giving their data is by having a cookie banner, which confuses the user by not providing clarity about the cookie usage or by not giving a "Reject" button.

Apart from that, they use dark design psychology, which induces customers to click on the accept all link.

Dark Practice #3:

GDPR has strict requirements that cookie banners must have an opt-out consent too.

Many companies, even when the user declines the use of cookies on their devices, run JavaScript and other trackers on the user's devices, collecting and processing personal data illicitly. The cookie banner remains nothing but an inoperative placeholder.

Also, one of the major requirements of GDPR that businesses fail to comply with is the authentic proof or record of consent given by the user to the business through the cookie consent banner.

Data audits and cybersecurity are the primary reasons a company is levied with heavy fines and penalties. As significant data privacy laws and amendments are heavily invested in increasing data security issues, data security is a critical factor that businesses must pay attention to.

If you want to avoid all the melodrama, keep reading!

Cookie consent: You can't ignore it anymore!

$3 Billion!

That's the total sum of fines paid till Jan 2023. This includes all kinds of significant penalties from big techs like Google and Amazon to small-medium enterprises.

This results from non-compliance or bypassing the EU's GDPR and ePrivacy Directive, aka Cookie Law.

As per the reports of TechHq, 95% of American businesses are yet to comply with GDPR, and 90% are yet to comply with CPRA. Now, these are worrisome figures.

Non-compliance means only two things to you:

Financial penalties

Brand reputation (most damaging)

In today's hyper-transparent world, where every customer knows about a company as well as they know their friends, trust is the most significant competitive advantage a brand can have. And to do this, you must show people you are trustworthy.

Staying in compliance with local and global laws is key.

A quick guide to cookie compliance:

Let them know about your cookies.

The first step to building privacy compliance and consumer trust is transparency. This means that a user must know what cookies you have, their purpose, and what happens to their data after they consent. Provide them with a blueprint of what all your business does regarding personal data.

Acknowledge user cookie consent with a cookie consent banner. Display all the cookies to be used in the settings section and let them know your purpose for personal data collection.

How do you want users to give consent?

Following the GDPR consent model, you need a cookie consent banner with opt-in, opt-out, and auto cookie-blocking features.

If a user wants you to use cookies on their devices, it is called opt-in consent, wherein they click the "Accept" button.

If a user doesn't want you to use cookies to collect their data, then he should be provided with a "Reject" button. This is known as the opt-out method. With that, also provide a "Change Preference" button if the user wants only specific cookies to be used on-site. They must be able to turn off advertising cookies if they wish to website/app owners must abide by that.

One of the most crucial requirements under GDPR is to block all nonessential cookies until the user gives their consent. Businesses are often guilty of deploying unnecessary cookies, such as advertising and analytic cookies, before the user gives consent. Under GDPR, failure to follow this provision will attract heavy fines.

Adzapier Consent Management: Compliance in a Single Solution

Even if you decide to build a GDPR-compliant cookie consent banner by yourself, which will be tedious and a little costly, what you surely can't do manually is keep a record of all the consent.

You need a cookie consent management platform like Adzapier.

We provide the code. You don’t have to figure it out yourself. All you need to do is input our code into the backend, and your website will comply with the world's strictest data privacy law. Isn't that a smart thing to do?

Adzapier's Consent management helps brands to build a personalized cookie banner that suits your brand's style. But it also ensures that your brand is safe and secure by complying with your business's stringent privacy laws like GDPR and CPRA.

Our geo-tagging features help find the user's location so that a relevant cookie consent banner is served, complying with the data privacy law of the region where the user is accessing your website.

We provide auto-cookie blocking, which blocks all nonessential cookies until the user gives consent, which is mandatory under GDPR. We also provide session recording, which only a few data compliance platforms have in the market.

Session recording records the users’ consent, saving you time and energy to prove to the data compliance audits and cyber security cells in the wake of DSARs.

That's why we're always here: to help you get compliance. Get your organization up-to-speed and compliant with Adzapier's cookie consent management platform.

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Your Cookie Consent Banner Must-Haves 

In 2023, a good cookie consent banner is no longer optional. The General Data Protection Rights Act (GDPR) set a precedent, and many other countries and even states in the USA are following suit.  

Having a cookie consent banner on your website informs users about where and why their personal information is being used and allows them to make choices regarding that data. 

If your business operates out of a state or country with such data privacy laws enacted, or you collect and handle data from residents of countries or states where user consent management laws apply, your business is obligated to follow those laws to the letter.  

Cookie Banner to Cookie Consent Banner in 2023: As data privacy laws are enacted and evolved over time, privacy compliance turns from good to have to must-have!  

I’ve had a cookie banner for years. Why should I update it?  

In the past, lawmakers have been ambiguous about the rules around cookie banners. Yes, you needed one, but the specifications weren’t entirely precise.  

This led to many website and business owners using the cheapest, most straightforward option: pre-checked acceptance, copied and pasted cookie usage policies, and a lengthy process to reach the consent manager where users can change their preferences.  

Adding to this, many early cookie banners were built for websites and did not factor in the user experience when seen on mobile devices or in an application.  

This has led to multiple problems, including end users who cannot access the content because a banner is blocking it, frustration at not being able to set or manage their preferences, and lack of trust because they aren’t in control of where their personal information is going.  

Laws today are homing in on these issues and taking significant steps to address each one. To comply today, you will need a cookie consent solution that has:   

A clear, concise, and understandable cookie policy 

An opt-out option  

The ability for users to opt-in to targeted marketing  

Special provisions for handling children’s data  

Optimization for mobile, applications, and desktop access 

Customization for your brand 

A clear path to cookie preference management  

Options that are not pre-checked and show no favoritism toward either decision 

What’s the difference between opt-in and opt-out?  

Good question! Let’s explore the differences, and how you can ensure you’re covering all your bases.  

Opt-out means that users can decline all cookies or manage their cookie-sharing/selling preferences regarding particular sites and products.  

Opt-in is generally in regard to children’s data. That means parental consent is required before using the personal information of a minor for targeted ads. It can also apply to adults; however, most of that is covered in the opt-out process.  

Many, if not all data privacy laws, have special provisions regarding minors’ data. Therefore, if your business or website specifically targets children as its primary audience, you should be aware of the differences between opting out, opting in, and how you can ensure you are taking the proper steps to obtain parental consent if you are collecting, storing, selling, sharing or otherwise handling the data of minors.  

This sounds complicated. How can I be sure that I’m following cookie laws everywhere? 

Automation is your friend! It would be almost impossible for most business owners to devote enough time and energy to read, understand, and keep track of global cookie consent management laws.  

This is where a cookie consent manager comes in handy. It can automatically detect the location from which your users are visiting, obtain consent by those laws, create records of preferences, and ensure you are collecting only the data you need to make the site functional and readable.  

This can take great stress off you, so you can focus on what really matters: running a successful business.  

Having those options and information is a bit much. Can I pare it down? 

It does sound like a lot, but it’s not. Now is a good time to review your cookie policy and ensure the language and wording are clear and understandable.  

Most of this editing takes common sense, but if you have a legal team, you may want to consult them and see if they have any suggestions. Next, you’ll need two CTAs – accept or decline – and a direct link to managing preferences.  

Don’t skip that last part! TikTok was fined in France for making it easier for users to accept all cookies than to decline or manage their preferences. We don’t want this to happen to you!  

Last, you’ll want to ensure that once users follow the link to manage their preferences, you also include contact information and resources for them to access, manage, correct, or delete their data by law. Respect your customers, and they’ll return with greater loyalty and faith in your business model.  

Final take:  

There are many things to consider regarding cookie consent, but educating yourself about it can protect your customers and your business.  

At Adzapier, we offer a robust cookie management solution that will give you all the tools you need to stay within compliance and respect your end users’ privacy.  

Schedule a free demo with one of our privacy experts today to see just how easy it is! Then, sign up for a 14-day free trial.  

Schedule a demo  

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CNIL Penalizes TikTok for Exploitive Cookie Consent Management

On December 29, 2022, CNIL (French Data Protection Agency) sanctioned 5 million Euros in a fine against the social networking site Tiktok. 

The French data privacy watchdog found TikTok breaching obligations to article 82 of the Data Protection Act. The social media giant attempted to exploit the cookie consent laws. Here’s what happened: 

In June 2021, CNIL checked TikTok and found that the company immediately offered a button to ‘accept’ cookies. However, it did not give users an easy opt-out option. The problem was that TikTok users needed several clicks to reject, while they could accept the cookies with a single click. 

In the trial, the CNIL committee concluded that TikTok made the refusal process more difficult than accepting cookies, encouraging internet users to favor the “accept all cookies” button. The process is heinous and violates the freedom of consent for organizational gain.  

As of February 2022, TikTok has implemented a “refuse all” button on its website and addressed the cookie-policy transparency issue. A Spokesperson for the Chinese company said that the French Data Protection authority’s sanction “relates to past practices.” Furthermore, TikTok is now making it much easier to reject non-essential cookies.”  

The CNIL trial focused only on TikTok’s website and not its mobile app. Therefore, the company must avoid implementing tricky cookie consent management practices on its mobile app. 

A Carnival of Data Privacy Sanctions 

During the last year, many big companies like Amazon, Apple, Google, and Meta underwent trials for breaching consumer data security rights.  

Meta had been under scrutiny for breaching consumer data protection laws since 2008. The company suffered trials for trespassing the cookie consent regulations and unauthorized sharing of customer data with third parties.  

Amazon came into sight of the EU data privacy commission for exploiting its market power. Following complaints from several traders, the EU penalized Amazon for leveraging the data collected by companies that rely on its marketplace. In the UK, the eCommerce giant was found ‘harming’ its customers by directing them towards ‘featured offers.’ The trick was alluring customers to go for hidden deals and pay more for products.  

By the end of 2022, Amazon had been at trial for over a dozen lawsuits and lost billions of dollars in fines.   

By the end of 2022, Google agreed to a record $391.5 million settlement with a 40-state coalition of attorneys general. Charges against the company were that it misled users into thinking that turning off the ‘location tracking’ feature on their browser would stop Google from collecting information. However, the company violated consumer laws by tracing user information even after inactivating the ‘location tracking’ feature. As of 2023, the company promises to make its ‘location tracking’ disclosures more transparent for internet users. 

In March 2022, Apple Inc. agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit for false advertising and breach of consumer trust. According to advertisements, Apple hosts its iCloud subscriber data in an independent cloud infrastructure. However, the company only sometimes relied on independent cloud storage. Occasionally, Apple would use third-party cloud services for storing data without customer consent.  The lawsuit settled at $14 million, and Apple now shares a list of all third-party cloud servers in its iCloud legal Agreement.  

Twitter followed other tech companies in the ‘data breach carnival.’ A settlement of $AU 208 million was made between the company and the Australian data regulators for (alleged) misrepresentation of security and privacy. 

Fashion retailer and online clothing brand H&M was under scrutiny for keeping excessive records of its employees’ families. The brand was accused of spying on personal information while saying it was for employee evaluation purposes. Following the lawsuit, H&M took full responsibility for the actions and agreed to pay a fine of $AU 57 million. 

A Message for Other businesses 

Any business that collects, processes, and shares customer data (for advertising or other purposes) is responsible for safeguarding consumer privacy rights. Not abiding by data protection laws can cause colossal reputational and financial damage to businesses.  

Huge brands like Google, Meta, and H&M may have the resources and time for exhaustive and expensive lawsuits. However, growing businesses cannot afford to stand against lawsuits.  

Data privacy laws safeguard consumer rights. Therefore, they are non-discriminatory. Regardless of size, businesses must always follow data privacy laws. Even small and medium-sized enterprises must comply with data protection laws.  

Privacy Compliance: Best Practices 

Staying compliant is crucial for businesses dealing with consumers protected by various data protection laws worldwide. Following is a list of Best Practices that businesses can follow to stay on the safe side: 

Check Cookie Use 

Ensuring which cookies a website (or mobile app) uses is the first step of privacy compliance. Using a cookie tool for identifying the number (and types) of cookies on a website (or mobile app) allows cookie categorization. Having pre-defined cookie categories makes collecting cookie consent easy for the website (or mobile app) user.    

Ensure Consent Management  

Businesses must always ensure they send out clear messages regarding their cookie use and data collection policies. Websites and mobile applications should say whether they would collect, share, and process customer data. Companies must also mention how they would use customer data and what third parties they would share the information with.  

Companies should incorporate cookie consent banners (or other means) to help collect and manage consumer data preferences.  

Check Cookie Compliance 

Making sure your business follows data regulations is the best way to avoid hefty lawsuits. Ensuring cookie compliance is a simple process; however, if not taken seriously, it can land businesses in trouble.  

What Can Businesses Do? 

Staying in compliance with data protection laws is easy for businesses that undertake a failproof consent management policy. Therefore, you must take early action and check your cookie compliance now! 

Adzapier is here to help businesses by making consent management a simple and scalable process. Visit the website to learn more.  

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DSAR Guide: Ways to build customer loyalty in 2023 & beyond 

I know. It's irritating. 

Every time we marketers sit for work with full enthusiasm, "No matter what happens today, I am gonna get a hell of a lot of user data from these cookies," a DSAR request pops up from our users asking for their personal information back. 

But it is what it is. Privacy laws worldwide dare us to decline DSAR requests, but seriously people, that's the last thing you want to do. 

Ever since the growing number of privacy breaches by companies and even some governments worldwide have leaked millions of sensitive personal information, data privacy regulators have become cautious.  

So, what are these DSARs, and why should businesses take them seriously? 

A Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) is an inquiry made by a data subject to a company regarding how the data subject's personal information has been collected, processed, and used. Anyone who is a data subject can submit a request. 

The Data subject here is a natural person or an individual who has consented to you collecting their personal information. But that doesn't give you ownership of the data. The data ultimately belongs to the user or data subject.  

Hence, they can make DSAR request to access and know what and how their information is collected and used. They also have the right to change their data or ask the business owner to delete it. 

GDPR, the first and most stringent data privacy in the world, defines DSARs as, 

A data subject has the right to access personal data that has been collected concerning them and to exercise that right easily and at reasonable intervals to be aware of and verify the lawfulness of the processing. 

Under the GDPR, businesses need to respond within 30 days to a DSAR request (With an extension of 30 days under exceptional circumstances). There is no format to DSAR request—if a consumer calls your helpline requesting access to their data, you must oblige. Check out our GDPR guide to make your business compliant with the strictest privacy law in the world. 

What are Data subject Access rights? 

Under DSARs, the data subject has certain rights. Let's understand them so you can respond intelligently to the data subjects concerned. 

Right to information regarding the collection of personal data: As a company, if you have collected any personal data from the user, you must notify the data subject concerned. 

The right to access personal data and its processing are what DSAR is known for. A data subject can access and see how their data is processed. 

Right to rectify incorrect or incomplete personal data: you have one month to comply, If an individual requests rectification (verbally or in writing),  

Right to remove data: Also known as the right to be forgotten, this rule gives data subjects the freedom to erase their data within 30 days when requested. 

Right to restrict personal data processing: If the data subject requests you to stop further processing their personal data, you'll have to comply with it. However, you can still store it. 

Right to data portability: This rule gives data subjects the authority to take their personal information from one platform to another quickly, safely, and securely. 

Right to object: If the data subject doesn't agree with how their personal information is used for marketing, sales, or non-service-related purposes, then this rule gives the right to object. 

Right to no to automated decision-making and profiling. This rule gives Data subjects the right to say no to automated decisions—including profiling—being made about the data that can have a legal or similarly significant effect on them. 

So, these rights under DSAR give power to the data subject or your customers to access, object, change or erase the personal information they had previously provided you, with their consent. As a responsible business entity, you must respond to these data subjects' DSAR requests. Let me show you how it's done. 

DSARs for data summaries 

When a data subject makes a DSAR request, your data protection officer (DPO) or any other person handling data processing in your business organization must respond with a list of all the information you have regarding the concerned data subject. They might also request specific information in some cases. You are obligated to meet whatever information the data subject requests. 

Subjects can request the following: 

Confirmation that you process their data. 

Access to their personal information. 

Your legal basis for the processing of data. 

The timeline for the storage of their data  

Relevant information on the method of obtaining the data. 

Any relevant information about automated decision-making and profiling. 

Names of third parties you share their information with. 

Different data subjects will have different requirements and listing out every permutation combination will make this discussion endless. The above list is a good starter, but it's always a nice idea to review your relevant law and see what you need to provide. 

DSARs for deletion 

Also known as the right to erasure or to be forgotten, a data subject can request the companies to delete or erase their personal information that shouldn't stay with them. 

DSARs for correction 

Some data subjects don't object to you having to store their personal information. But they may notice some error in the data, which is irrelevant. So, they can make a DSAR request for you to correct their data. 

Who can submit a DSAR? 

Though most data privacy laws worldwide do not stop any consumer from submitting DSARs, some rules exclude employees, commercial partners, and job candidates. But that isn't the case with CCPA/CPRA/GDPR. According to these laws, even employees can exercise DSAR requests. 

In exceptional cases, an individual too can submit a DSAR on behalf of another person. Well, there are certain conditions to that: 

A parent or guardian requesting information on a child. 

A court-appointed official is handling someone's case. 

Someone requesting their client's or employer's information 

The data subject requests help from a friend or relative. 

As a responsible business entity, you must thoroughly check whether the request made by another person on behalf of the data subject is proper. In such cases, you can ask for evidence of the relationship, like birth certificates that acknowledge the parents' names, guardianship paperwork, or power of attorney documentation. 

Employee DSARs 

An employee making a DSAR request can be sensitive, so it makes more sense for a business entity to take this particular DSAR a little more seriously. 

Companies have crucial information about their employees like social security numbers, ethnicity, sexual orientation, PAN number, and much more. Also, employee DSAR is perceived as wrong by default. They might ask DSAR why their promotions are put on hold or why they've been put on the performance improvement plan. If proven guilty of favoritism, nepotism or any unlawful reason, a business can put its reputation in danger. Or worse–they can be sued by the employee making DSAR. 

Can I refuse to respond to a DSAR? 

It is essential to respond to most DSARs, but there can be a few exceptions: 

The request is either of malicious intent to destroy the reputation of the company/business, or there is an excessive number of requests overlapping the recently submitted request. 

But frankly, it is difficult to prove these points to refuse to respond to the DSAR request. A company must be cautious and should do extensive research before refusing to respond to a DSAR request. 

Do I have to provide everything? 

Not necessarily. You only need to give them the information that's considered personal data. Businesses don't need to include everything related to the data subject. For example, you don't need to provide internal memos or notes to the data subject 

How quickly do I need to respond to a DSAR? 

Most data privacy laws require you to respond within 30 days to a DSAR. However, The CCPA/CPRA allows for a 45-day response time. 

Conclusion: Be empathetic to your customers 

Just having data privacy compliance in your business isn't enough. It should be practiced as well. A DSAR is an excellent way for companies to show authenticity and transparency. Understanding their pain points and providing a relevant solution will take your business to new heights. 2023 and beyond will be about building a genuine and long-lasting connection between you and your customers. 

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Busting the Top 5 Cookie Consent Myths 

There can be a lot of confusion surrounding cookie consent and what it entails. That’s because there are so many laws, both new and old that vary by geolocation.  

For instance, there’s the General Data Privacy Act (GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA), and many more.  

What’s even more confusing is that many of these laws are new or changing. Especially as 2023 begins, and even more states and countries are following suit in implementing regulations.  

With so much information flying around, it’s easy to fall into the trap of believing common myths about cookie consent. Don’t worry – we’re here to help! It’s time to roll up our sleeves, pull out our data privacy boxing gloves and bust some myths. Are you ready? 

Myth #1: My business only has to follow cookie consent laws where it’s located.  

Myth busted! If you collect or handle consumer data online, your business must follow laws from where your users are accessing the site.  

For instance, one example of cookie consent is if your business is located in Idaho, but you have customers in the EU, you must follow the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules. 

In the age of digital consumerism, it’s not possible to stop users from accessing your site, no matter where they reside. Cookie consent laws in the US may be different than in other regions. That’s why it’s so important to be compliant with local, national and global laws.  

Myth #2: Getting rid of third-party cookies will ruin my marketing strategy.  

Not a chance, buddy. In fact, your marketing strategy can be even stronger when you give your users a choice about whether or not to opt-in or opt-out of third-party cookies. Did you know that third-party cookies can be used, sold, and re-sold without you or your users’ knowledge?  

Once that data has been shared, it can go anywhere – and that’s a very scary thought for your users. When they have more control and information, they’re more likely to share selectively with companies they’re truly passionate about. We want your company to be one of those.  

A marketing strategy built on the idea of first-party or session cookies is a respectful way to approach data privacy and stay compliant without compromising your users’ data. It’ll still give you plenty of insights into what your users want and need, so you can tailor products and services to them individually.  

Myth #3: A cookie banner will ruin the customer experience on my website.  

In the past, cookie consent banners were clunky and blocked a lot of text. Oftentimes, they weren’t optimized for mobile, and their policies were unclear. Even now, some cookie banners that haven’t been updated still have the same propensity for those flaws.  

But, good news! It doesn’t have to be that way. Cookie banners are becoming more intuitive. They no longer have to obstruct your page or shut users out of viewing content. They can be customized to seamlessly blend with the design of your website. Users will have the luxury of choice and your business will be in compliance and stay out of trouble with the law.  

Myth #4: If customers don’t use the cookie banner, my business can collect all of the cookies. 

No! That’s simply not true. You can’t guarantee that a user will interact with your cookie banner, but you can take measures to ensure that your business is still in compliance. That’s where automated cookie blocking comes in.  

Automated cookie blocking means that if a user does not interact with your cookie banner, all but essential cookies will be blocked until the user accepts or declines cookies.  

Some of the reasons why people choose not to interact with a cookie banner might be:  

The Privacy Policy is too long or confusing 

They’re visiting the site quickly and don’t want to set preferences 

The cookie banner isn’t visible enough and/or has confusing CTAs 

Making a cookie banner an integral part of your site experience comes down to good UX, design, and common sense. The more your customers know, and the simpler a cookie banner is to understand, the more likely they are to use it.  

Myth #5: Declining all cookies will block access to my website.   

Just like accepting all cookies doesn’t give users special privileges on your website, declining all cookies shouldn’t block them from browsing. In fact, it’s against the law to block users from accessing your site simply because they declined cookies. Yes, their experience will be less personalized – but that’s their choice!  

Remember, obtaining consent from a clear, easy-to-read cookie banner is a fantastic way to earn customer trust and stay within the law.  

Final take:  

There are a lot of myths surrounding cookie consent, but by educating yourself about them, you can take advantage of the many ways that data privacy laws around the world can benefit your users, and your business.  

At Adzapier, we offer a robust cookie management solution that will give you all the tools you need to stay within compliance, both locally and globally, and respect your end users’ privacy.  

Schedule a free demo with one of our privacy experts today to see just how easy it is! Then, sign up for a 14-day free trial.  

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