By building privacy into your products from the beginning and giving your users the information and tools to protect and control their own personal information, you not only help avoid consequences ranging from scathing media coverage to class action lawsuits, you also make users feel truly invested in your product and build invaluable trust and loyalty.

Sub-TItle: 
The key to developing outstanding privacy practices is to proactively identify and address potential privacy risks before they happen.
Display Title: 
MAKE YOUR PRIVACY PRACTICES STAND OUT

Twitter's Gag Order Resistance a Show of "Backbone"

In January 2011, Twitter was applauded for its “remarkable display of backbone” in standing up for its users’ privacy and free speech rights by challenging the secrecy of a demand from the Department of Justice (DOJ). The DOJ obtained a court order...Read more >

Tech Companies Praised for Notifying Users About Data Demands

Tech companies including Facebook, Apple, Google, and Microsoft won acclaim when they revised their policies to consistently notify users about government demands for their data . The changes were described as proudly “defiant” after the revelations...Read more >

Amazon Applauded for Suing to Protect Users

Amazon was praised for its commitment to protecting the privacy of users in 2010 after refusing a demand to turn over records detailing more than 50 million purchases of North Carolina residents to that state’s Department of Revenue. To protect its...Read more >

Apple Draws Attention to New Products by Fighting Centuries-Old Law

Apple drew attention to its privacy-friendly practices when it refused to comply with a warrant demanding that it access data on a customer’s cell phone. In 2015, Apple received a court order to provide data from an iPhone based on the two-hundred-...Read more >

Netflix Sued for Retaining Records About Former Customers

In 2012, Netflix settled a class action lawsuit alleging that it retained records about former customers in violation of the Video Privacy Protection Act. The company ultimately settled the lawsuit by agreeing to pay $9 million and change its policy...Read more >

Google Praised for Letting Users Order Data “Takeout”

Google has been widely praised for allowing users to export data from Google services for their own purposes. The service, known as Google Takeout, provides users with a centralized place to export their data from over twenty supported services,...Read more >

Google Faces Record Fines for Bypassing Privacy Settings

In 2012, Google agreed to pay a record $22.5 million FTC fine and was hit with multiple lawsuits for violating its own statements and bypassing privacy settings on Apple’s Safari web browser. Although Google had told Safari users that they could use...Read more >

ScanScout Sued After Offering Opt-Out Then Preventing It

In 2011, ScanScout, an online video advertising network, was investigated by the FTC and hit with a class action lawsuit for its deceptive practice of using persistent “supercookies” to track users online. Although ScanScout’s privacy policy stated...Read more >

Google Buzz Stung for Exposing Private Contact Details

In early 2010, Google tried to jump on the social networking bandwagon by releasing its own service, Google Buzz. But the biggest buzz about the new service focused on privacy because Google pre-populated “following” lists with frequent chat and...Read more >

Facebook Criticized for Conducting Secret Experiments on Users

Facebook was lambasted in the press for conducting an “emotional manipulation ” study on its users without oversight or user permission. Facebook’s experiment involved selectively showing users certain kinds of posts by their friends and determining...Read more >