Looking for a way to take back control of your personal data on the internet? Then you need to check out Permission Slip, a groundbreaking new app powered by Consumer Reports. With Permission Slip, you can protect your personal data from being bought and sold by major companies.
As an authorized agent between companies and consumers, Permission Slip ensures that your user data is erased and not sold to third parties. In other words, it empowers you to have control over the sensitive details of your life.
“People need and deserve control over the sensitive details of their lives, particularly in a market where every click and purchase is carefully tracked,” said Ginny Fahs, the director of product R&D at Consumer Reports’ Innovation Lab.
What’s even better is that Permission Slip is completely free. Unlike traditional methods of requesting data deletion or opting out of data sales, which can be cumbersome and expensive, Permission Slip makes the process simple and accessible to everyone. With just a tap of a button, you can manage who has your data and request that it not be sold or delete your accounts entirely.
The app, inspired by the cascade of data privacy laws enacted after the landmark California Consumer Privacy Act, goes beyond data control. It also provides request status updates and confirms when companies fulfill your requests. Occasionally, companies may ask for verification directly from you.
It’s important to note that the results are not instant. According to the Washington Post, it can take up to 45 business days for companies to delete data and 15 business days to fulfill a request to stop selling it. However, the benefits of having control over your data far outweigh the wait time.
Why is it crucial to have control over your personal data? Personal data is not only used for targeted ads on platforms like Facebook but can also be exploited by cybercriminals to breach your online accounts.
Companies collect data for various purposes, such as improving marketing or enhancing the site experience. This includes demographic information like age, location, and gender. For example, Google tracks users’ online activity for personalized advertisements, and X (formerly Twitter) now gathers “biometrics information” and employment history as per its updated privacy policies.
However, personal data, including phone numbers and email addresses, can be sold to data brokers. These data brokers compile and package the information to sell it to other companies for advertising purposes. With Permission Slip, you can also request data brokers to delete your data.
“What we’re hoping to do is provide a little bit of education on the sorts of data that different companies collect and then help consumers reason with how they want to manage their data,” Fahs said.
During a trial period before its official launch, Permission Slip processed 200,000 requests, according to the Washington Post. Along with using data deletion services like Permission Slip, there are other steps you can take to protect your digital privacy, such as adjusting app privacy settings, using anti-tracking browsers, utilizing VPNs, avoiding public WiFi, and blocking cookies.
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