Companies Are Proactively Making Changes Based on Privacy Concerns

Google is phasing out a feature that the Google Assistant provides – Location-based reminders.  The reason for the phase-out?  Proactive privacy policy.  The ability to create location-based reminders on the Google Assistant app will be “going away soon” according to Google.  It could be used as a personal reminder, or you could send someone else a reminder.

The feature was undoubtedly useful.  You could set-up a reminder to talk to your child’s teacher when you arrived at school to pick him up.  You could set a reminder to grab eggs and milk when you arrived at the grocery store.  People’s schedules aren’t always perfect.  You don’t necessarily know that you’ll be at the grocery store at 9 PM or that you’ll be at the school right at 3 PM.

The location-based reminder solved those scheduling uncertainties.  It recognized that your intention to complete the task wasn’t based on what time it was, but where you were.  Thus, location-based reminders.

It seems like a perfectly good idea.  So, why is it going away?

Some app developers have been found to have tracked user movements even when the user isn’t using the app.  Google itself has been sued over the collection of user location data.

But the collection of location data with location-based reminders seems to satisfy the eight privacy principles.

The Collection Limitation principle is satisfied as according to Google’s privacy policy, they only collect data based on users’ setting and the Google Assistant app only collects data when it is active.

The Data Quality principle is satisfied as the location data collected is relevant to the particular reminder.

The Individual Participation principle is satisfied as the individual should reasonably know that their data has been collected when they use location-based reminders.

The Purpose Specification principle is satisfied as the use of the location data is known at the time it is collected.

The Use Limitation principle could be a problem for Google’s location-based reminders.  The principle requires that the collected data must not be used for purposes other then ones specified at the time of collection.  With so much user data likely collected, is Google able to compartmentalize it all to specific apps or does it all get collected and used indiscriminately?

The Security Safeguards principle is likely satisfied as Google provides sophisticated measures for protecting data.

The Openness principle is satisfied where it needs to be.  Google likely complies with all legitimate data subject requests.

The Accountability principle is satisfied.  Google has professionals who handle privacy compliance.

Google does pretty well on the privacy principles, which, by the way, are not binding law.  As individuals and regulators become more and more privacy savvy, collection of specific location data draws closer and closer scrutiny.  Particularly accurate location data is considered to be sensitive personal information under several laws.

Even though, Google may well be able to defend their data collection practices against all the privacy principles, the fact that they are collecting sensitive data, leads to them receiving more and more scrutiny. Scrutiny that may simply not be worth one extra feature.  Alternatively, Google may have proactively decided to curtail their location-based collection, to align themselves with a more consumer-friendly approach to privacy.

Being privacy friendly can be a brand distinguisher to help any company’s reputation.  Clarip can help your company get there.  Clarip helps companies with automated data subject request fulfillment, data mapping, website scanning, vendor management, consent management, and much more.

Email Now:

Mike Mango, VP of Sales
mmango@clarip.com