Build trust: Be transparent

In the run up to the GPDR going live in May 2018 (you remember that far back, right?), everyone was saying that this new privacy legislation was about consent. It wasn’t then and it isn’t now.

It is about many things and one of those is transparency.

What does that mean?

In simple terms, are organisations telling you what they are doing with your data and why?

Typically, you’ll find this information at the bottom of a website under privacy notice or legal that most people don’t read, or at least that’s what they are hoping.

We are in an age where more and more people are aware of their rights when it comes to privacy and are happy to exercise them, read about them and make judgements about companies based on their privacy practices. To that end, organisations shouldn’t hide their privacy notice and hope you won’t read it. They should design and write in such a way that encourages people to read it.

Why not look for notices that are

• Written in plan, easy to understand language
• Perhaps they use infographics to make it easier to understand (remember nowhere in the GDPR does it say don’t use pictures or that privacy can’t be fun)
• Think about your audience, are they children? Then use language they will understand.
• Keep it concise
• Make it easily accessible
• Are layered so people can easily move between sections to the bits that are relevant to them.

Transparency and privacy notices aren’t about organisations showing off that they’ve paid a fancy lawyer to draft them. It is about an organisation demonstrating they know what they are doing with your data and why and are not afraid to tell you!

If you want any help or advice, just email us at info@securys.co.uk – we’d be delighted to help.