Today, privacy innovators TrustArc & Disconnect have launched Privacy Icons software to help consumers easily understand website privacy policies and how websites are handling their data.
Consumers want to know how websites are using their privacy and data, but they often do not have the time or patience to read existing privacy policies, which are typically quite long and complex. According to The TRUSTe Privacy Index, the average privacy policy is 2,464 words long and takes about 10 minutes to read.
The Privacy Icons software simplifies this information by showing users a set of icons for every site they visit and for every search result. The icons are simple, visual cues that provide a quick and easy way for users to understand the most important data practices of a given website. Screenshots below show the different visual categories:
Icons indicating data collection, tracking and retention will be powered by data from the TRUSTe Privacy Policy Database, which includes in-depth analysis of the privacy policies of thousands of websites around the world. Find out more about how your company can develop a plan to protect consumer privacy here.
The Privacy Icons software is available as desktop browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox, with versions for the other major desktop and mobile browsers coming soon.
For installs and additional information visit https://disconnect.me/icons or read the full press release.