Chris Brinkworth

Explaining the benefits is easy compared to delivering on those promises. Managing data privacy involves more than front-end; it requires concrete actions across diverse data landscapes. EG ensuring consistent consent across data stored in buckets, cloud storage, & databases etc is challenging but crucial. Businesses must implement clear consent mechanisms & regularly audit data flows to deliver on values/promises. This includes accurately reflecting user preferences in every database & safeguarding against unauthorised access. What practical steps are needed to commit to values promised? Do you understand the operational efforts needed to maintain trust & adhere to privacy? Real-world adherence is key here beyond 'values & promises'

Data sharing as it relates to the 'customer experience layer' requires a balance between 'Customisation Benefits' and 'Consumer Rights Protection'. With 'digital platforms' becoming as regulated as healthcare, telco and more (when related to personal information), entities must prioritise transparency, secure informed consent, & implement stringent data governance practices. This includes selecting partners carefully, setting clear data handling obligations, & routinely reviewing data exchanges to comply with evolving privacy laws. By adopting these practices, entities can maintain customer trust while harnessing advantages of targeted advertising, ensuring a responsible approach to data sharing in the intricate CX ecosystem.

At a corporate / entity website level - understanding that your marketing team's use of 'tags, pixels and cookies' related to social media tools drastically opens up exposure points. For example, a tag on your marketing-based websites can collect not just hashed versions of PII, which needs to be covered within data disclosure, privacy policy etc - but tags can ALSO read many elements including URL structure of pages where it is situated/embedded. EG - If your user is visiting a page titled 'HIV anti-viral Drugs', then the social media pixel can and will collect that and append it to a user ID. EG - If your user is looking at details about a Kosher or Halal meal kit when booking travel - that too is potentially appended.

Cookies are 'one part' of the 'online tracking trifecta' and it's important to understand the other two & relevant interactions between all three: "Cookies" are files stored on users’ devices to track site preferences & sessions. "Tags" (JavaScript snippets) collect interaction data for analytics and marketing. "Pixels", tiny images in emails/webpages, track views & activities. Businesses MUST understand these differences for effective data use while ensuring user privacy & not lump together. Regular privacy impact assessments & audits are crucial to identify risks & comply with regulations like GDPR and CCPA. This proactive approach helps balance user experience enhancement with privacy protection, maintaining trust & legal compliance.

Firstly, be clear if 'Cookie Banner' is all thats needed. EG - A cookie banner ONLY alerts users to the use of cookies and seeks their permission, especially for analytics or marketing. 'Consent management' however, is a broader strategy that involves acquiring, documenting, and managing user consents for data use, ensuring adherence to privacy laws. Meanwhile, a preference centre is an interface that allows users to tailor and manage their privacy settings, including their preferences on cookie and tracking technology usage. EG - While cookie banners serve as an initial consent alert, consent management is the process that respects & implements user decisions, and the preference center offers ongoing control over these preferences.

I've found the popular maxim "do unto others", a solid approach to data sharing. Building trust starts with transparency & user control, and in my niche (where I focus on how businesses are using invisible website pixels & SDKs) my advice is that you must clearly inform users about the data collected 'from' your website, by third parties integrated 'in' your website or app and what that is for /why etc (behavior, device, location, form data etc); giving them knowledge, consent and control over that is a must, if you consider what you 'would like done to you/your data.' Having an ethical approach like this to data sharing rebuilds trust in today's data-driven world, fostering a safer & more transparent digital space absent of exploitation