The Importance of Privacy Management Platforms

I was scrolling through my LinkedIn feed earlier and stumbled across yet another useful and insightful post from my connection and fellow privacy aficionado, Nik Fuller .

Nik was exploring what factors need to go into a Privacy Technology RFP. This got me thinking about how I have been involved in many Privacy Diligence processes and vendor selections. Nik's article can be found here, and I highly recommend reading if you are in the dreaded RFP process for a privacy platform.

Circling back to my involvement in developing a vendor selection process, it is important to state that for those who don't know what one is, these platforms help organisations manage and protect sensitive information, stay compliant with privacy regulations, and maintain trust with customers. Possibly the best known platform is, Onetrust, but there are many options to choose from.

When choosing a privacy management platform, here are some important factors to consider:

1. Workflow Automation: The ability to automate privacy-related processes and workflows, including data mapping, data inventory, privacy assessments, and privacy notices.
2. Vendor Management: Features for managing and assessing the privacy practices of third-party vendors and service providers.
3. Privacy Notices: The ability to generate and manage privacy notices, including cookie banners and privacy policy pages.
4. Privacy Impact Assessments: The ability to perform privacy impact assessments to identify and mitigate privacy risks.
5. Data Subject Rights: Tools for managing data subject requests, such as data access, correction, and deletion requests.
6. Privacy By Design: Features that promote privacy by design, such as data minimisation, purpose limitation, and data protection impact assessments.
7. International Coverage: Compliance with privacy laws across multiple jurisdictions, including GDPR, CCPA, LGPD, and others.
8. Training and Awareness: Tools and resources for training and raising awareness about privacy best practices among employees, partners, and other stakeholders.
9. Customisability: The ability to customise the platform to meet specific privacy requirements, including customisation of workflows, templates, and reports.
10. Technical Support: Availability of technical support for setup, configuration, and ongoing use of the platform.
11. Security: Evidence of the platform's security measures, including regular security audits, penetration testing, and incident response plans.
12. Ease of use: A platform that is user-friendly and intuitive will allow your team to effectively manage privacy without having to invest a lot of time and resources.
13. Integration with existing systems: Consider a platform that integrates with your existing systems, such as customer relationship management (CRM) or marketing automation tools.
14. Technical support and resources: Look for a platform that provides adequate technical support and resources to help you effectively manage privacy. Or of course a partner to help your manage your platform. The DPG for example.

The pitfalls of not using a proper privacy management platform include:

1. Non-compliance with privacy regulations: This can result in hefty fines and reputational damage.
2. Lack of visibility into privacy risks: Without an effective privacy management platform, it can be difficult to identify and mitigate privacy risks.
3. Inadequate protection of sensitive information: Failing to properly manage privacy can lead to data breaches and loss of sensitive information.

In conclusion, choosing the right privacy management platform is crucial for organisations to stay compliant with privacy regulations, protect sensitive information, and maintain the trust of customers. A platform that meets your specific needs, integrates with existing systems, and provides technical support and resources will help ensure that privacy is effectively managed and protected.