About the data
The company should clearly disclose that it provides notice and documentation to users when it changes its privacy policies.
It is common for companies to change their privacy policies as their business evolves. However these changes can significantly impact a user’s privacy rights and what user information companies can collect, share and store. We therefore expect companies to commit to notify users when they change these policies and to provide users with information to help them understand what these changes mean.
Methodology
This metric seeks clear disclosure by companies of their direct method for notifying users about changes to privacy policies.
We expect companies to commit to directly notifying users prior to changes coming into effect. The method of direct notification may differ based on the type of service. For services that contain user accounts, direct notification may involve sending an email or an SMS. For services that do not require a user account, direct notification may involve posting a prominent notice on the main page where users access the service.
Definition(s):
Privacy policies – Documents that outline a company’s practices involving the collection and use of information, especially information about users.
Clearly disclose(s) – The company presents or explains its policies or practices in its public-facing materials in a way that is easy for users to find and understand.
Potential sources:
Company privacy policy
Company data use policy