Internet users are becoming increasingly protective of their digital footprint. However, as their need to maintain their privacy increases, so does their cynicism about the effectiveness of their actions. In fact, data from the Pew Research Center shows that 73% of Americans feel they have very little or no control over the data collected about them by companies. Combine that with dozens of privacy policy documents, and users experience a sense of weariness toward online privacy issues called “privacy fatigue”.

How Consumer Privacy Fatigue Affects Businesses

When people are overwhelmed, they tend to get lax about how they handle issues. In this case, customers may overlook privacy settings or inadvertently share more information than they intended to with a business. While collecting more data than you asked for sounds good on paper, it can lead to serious consequences:

• Non-compliance and data risks: Data protection is becoming more stringent worldwide. Collecting data that is not needed can lead to a regulation breach and associated penalties. More collected data also makes companies a larger target for hackers.
• Trust issues and customer experience: People do business with companies they trust. They are likely to lose trust in a business they perceive as collecting excessive amounts of personal data without a clear indication as to what it is needed for. Conversely, a business that goes out of its way to reassure customers that their information is in safe hands will deliver a positive customer experience.

How Businesses Can Help Customers Combat Privacy Fatigue

A concerning fact uncovered by the Pew Research Center was that 61% of adults felt that the privacy policies they came across were not effective at communicating how companies were going to use their data. However, 56% of people also admitted that they simply click “agree” without reading privacy policies, an action that can hamper businesses with the best intentions.

Fortunately, employing a few simple best practice measures can alleviate much of the privacy and consent fatigue customers experience.

• Make your privacy policies easier to read: Although privacy policies need to cover as much ground as possible, complicated jargon and wordiness put users off. Provide customers with a clear, concise, and accessible version of your privacy policy that summarizes all its key points and explains how their data will be used.
• Streamline consent: Presenting customers with too many options can contribute to their fatigue. Short, clear explanations of what their choices entail can help them make informed decisions. User-centric consent processes go a long way in aiding their choices.
• Build a centralized trust center: A trust center is a one-stop destination where your customers can explore your company’s privacy policies, security certifications, compliance information, data handling practices, and other important data. It helps build credibility by being open and transparent about your practices.
• Conduct periodic check-ins: Friendly reminders to customers to review and update their privacy settings are a great way to show them you care and help drive positive engagement with your brand. You can also time these check-ins to coincide with any major changes to your policies.
• Leverage technology: Tools like consent management systems and privacy dashboards can help keep your systems user-friendly and easy to manage. They can also help you streamline your processes, reducing both customer and employee privacy fatigue.

Taking the First Step

Being proactive about helping your customers overcome privacy and consent fatigue can win your company some serious brownie points. It can build trust, ensure customer loyalty, and even expand your reach. But getting to that point requires significant time and resources. Thankfully, you don’t have to do it alone.

4Comply offers an expertly designed framework that can help you keep track of all your consent data, allow your customers to securely access their data, and much more. If you need help streamlining your systems toward a more transparent approach, the experts at 4Comply are here to help. Contact us today!