What are the best ways to obtain and manage data consent?

1 Define the purpose and scope of data collection

Before asking for data consent, you need to clearly define the purpose and scope of your data collection. What are the objectives and outcomes of your data analytics project? What data do you need to achieve them? How will you use, store, and share the data? How long will you keep the data? How will you protect the data from unauthorized access or misuse? These questions will help you determine the lawful basis, the necessity, and the proportionality of your data collection, as well as inform the data subjects about what they are consenting to.

2 Choose the appropriate consent method

Depending on the context and the type of data you are collecting, you may need to choose between different consent methods. For example, you may use explicit consent, which requires a clear and affirmative action from the data subject, such as ticking a box, signing a form, or clicking a button. Alternatively, you may use implicit consent, which relies on the reasonable expectations and behavior of the data subject, such as continuing to use a website, scrolling through a page, or accepting cookies. You should choose the consent method that best suits your data collection purpose and scope, as well as the data protection laws and regulations that apply to your project.

3 Provide clear and concise consent information

When obtaining data consent, you should provide clear and concise information to the data subjects about your data collection purpose and scope, as well as their rights and options. You should avoid using complex or ambiguous language, technical jargon, or legal terms that may confuse or mislead the data subjects. You should also avoid using pre-ticked boxes, hidden clauses, or bundled consent that may coerce or manipulate the data subjects. Instead, you should use plain and simple language, clear and visible labels, and separate and granular consent options that allow the data subjects to make informed and voluntary decisions.

5 Monitor and audit your data consent practices

Finally, you should monitor and audit your data consent practices regularly to ensure that they are consistent, accurate, and up-to-date. You should review your data collection purpose and scope periodically to see if they are still valid, relevant, and necessary. You should also check your consent information and methods to see if they are still clear, concise, and appropriate. You should also verify your consent management system to see if it is still functional, secure, and compliant. By monitoring and auditing your data consent practices, you can identify and address any issues or gaps that may arise, as well as improve and optimize your data consent performance and quality.