In today's digital landscape, where data privacy is a growing concern, obtaining the consent of end users has become crucial for businesses. In this article, we will delve into the significance of acquiring end-user consent for your policies and delve into various methods through which you can obtain this consent using user interfaces (UI).
The importance of obtaining consent lies in empowering users to make informed decisions about how their data is collected, processed, and used. By obtaining explicit consent, businesses not only comply with legal requirements but also demonstrate their commitment to respecting user privacy. This fosters trust, enhances brand reputation, and ultimately leads to stronger customer relationships.
However, obtaining user consent is not a one-size-fits-all approach. It requires careful consideration of the user experience and effective communication to ensure users understand the implications of their consent. This is where user interfaces play a vital role. UI elements, such as consent dialogs, checkboxes, and granular controls, can be strategically designed to facilitate a transparent and user-friendly consent process.
Importance of Policy Consent
In today's world, data privacy is of upmost importance, which is why governments around the world have framed laws like CCPA, GDPR for safeguarding end user's data. Cookies are usually associated with data privacy as they can store end-user data without their knowledge just by visiting a website. Which is why, we see cookie consent bars and cookie notification popups in many websites to comply with the laws.
However, like cookies, all other end-user policies framed by a business have to be visible to the user, and a methodology should be applied to get consent or agreement for these policies as well.
Let us examine some of the most commonly used policies found on business websites - Terms Of Service, Privacy Policy, and Refund Policy.
It is important to also get consent for these policies at the appropriate time. For example, Show ToS to the user before they signup for your service. Display and get consent for your Refund policy before the user proceeds for payment to your service.
Although there may not be laws to get mandatory consent like cookies, businesses have to be transparent and create an environment of trust with the end user by showing the policies to the end user.
In the long run, getting policy consent at the right places will prevent customer churn, improve the brand image of your business, and ensure your end-user that nothing is hidden.
Ways to get consent
In this article, we are looking into different ways to get consent for policies in online form only. The type of approach to get consent will vary depending upon the nature of the policy.
Notification Popups
If the policy has to be enforced for all users who visit your website or are required by law, then the best way is to inform all users via notification popups. This is usually seen in cookie notification bars which alert the user about their business site's cookie policy.
Notification popups only inform the user about the policy. They do not actually get consent. This means the policy is automatically enforced before the user performs any action. It is up to the end-user to decide whether to continue or not depending upon the notification.
While notification popups may not comply with all laws, it is user-friendly and simple for the user to understand.
Consent bars
Again this is found in most cookie consent bars and data storage policies. Consent bars work in a more advanced way than a simple notification popup. In addition to notifying the user about the site's policy, it will disallow the policy enforcement until the user manually clicks on the 'Agree' button in the consent bar. For example, cookies will be saved only after the user agrees to the policy and not by simply visiting the site.
Some advanced consent bars have additional settings that can be configured by the end-user to what part of the policy can be enforced. For example, they can disallow tracking any marketing data and allow only analytics.
Consent Dialog
You would have come across a consent dialog before downloading software or installing it. Consent Dialog basically pauses a user's action and throws up a dialog with policy. Only if the user agrees to the policy will it allow the user to continue their action like download, signup, or installation. Otherwise, it will stop and prevent the user from continuing.
Although not the best in terms of user experience (UX), This type of consent is generally better when it comes to legal compliance, as the user is forced to read the policy before proceeding. This way, both the business and the user's interests are safeguarded like an unsigned contract.
Consent Checkbox
Consent checkboxes are usually found as part of forms. It is basically another form of "Consent dialog". However, the user experience here is better as the user feels agreeing to the consent is part of the form fill-ups. But it is advised to follow this approach only in areas dialogs are not possible (like a PDF form) because usually the user will not visit the policy page and will not read the fine print.
Misinterpretations of the service often occur due to consent checkboxes, as the user sometimes may not be aware of the policy while filling up a form. It is very subtle in nature and should be used only in unimportant circumstances.
Note the above list is not comprehensive, but overall, legal compliance should take precedence over user experience when it comes to getting consent for policies. Always choose the right way to get consent based on the type of policy.
This article has emphasized the significance of user consent for your policies and explored practical UI strategies to achieve it effectively. By using clear language, providing contextual information, and offering granular controls, businesses can strengthen customer relationships and comply with data protection regulations. With tools like SubPage, drafting and publishing policy pages, as well as integrating consent widgets into your website or app, becomes more accessible. By prioritizing user-centric consent practices, businesses can thrive in a privacy-conscious landscape and demonstrate their commitment to user rights and privacy.
