Understanding Consent Manager Platforms: A Beginner's Guide

However, it has become much more of a priority since GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) came into force in the second quarter of 2018. Currently, there has never been more demand for a top-quality consent management platform because of what lies at stake. However, knowledge of what this platform is about ensures that people are better positioned to make the right choice.

To this end, this article does a bit of justice to this subject. This is by discussing a couple of important things to know about consent manager platforms. So, read on to ensure that you are well-informed.

What Is a CMP (Consent Manager Platform)?

It is a service or tool integrated into mobile applications and websites to manage user consent. This is both important for collecting and processing data.

Specifically, it happens through the creation and integration of an applicable framework that obtains, stores, and manages consent preferences by users. As a result, directives from regulatory bodies on the subject of data privacy will not be violated.

Consequently, this means that there will be no need to face penalties resulting from the violation of data privacy laws or losing the trust of users. Using the right platform is therefore important, considering that data privacy laws should not be violated and that user trust is important for websites or mobile app owners.

Primary Components of Consent Manager Platforms

For the record, certain options may have a lot more than what we have here. However, it is important to note that these are the primary components. In simpler terms, it is what these platforms should have, at the barest minimum.

As a result, evaluating options based on their ability to offer these features should be one of your major yardsticks when choosing. Having made this clear, some of the primary components that these platforms should have include:

Preferences Management

By and large, users must be provided with options when it comes to what can and cannot be done with their data. This should be evident in areas such as analytics tracking, third-party personal data sharing, and personalized advertising.

Collection Interface

Quite a lot of people are well aware of their data privacy rights. However, there are still internet users who know very little or nothing about the subject.

To this end, mobile application and website owners have the responsibility of informing them about their data privacy rights, even while using their mobile application or website. The provision of a collection interface is essential for this reason.

This interface ensures that the option to make choices is easily and well presented. This is more than expecting users to navigate their way through complex setups for the same purpose.

Granular Controls

The last thing people need when it comes to being offered preferences is generalized options. Rather, users need to be offered options selectively.

For example, you cannot just ask for permission to process data. You need to be more specific by stating the grounds for which users’ data should be processed. This ensures that users can also provide selective consent in these areas.

Third-Party Integration

Usually, these services or tools work alongside other platforms. As a result, they must be designed to function with other tools, services, or platforms.

For example, third-party integration with analytics platforms, content management systems, and advertising networks should be possible. This ensures that consent preferences can be set and facilitated across these platforms.

Records & Logging

Keeping records of users’ data privacy preferences is also a crucial part of data privacy regulations. This is why records & logging are an important component of this service or tool, as the case may be.

So, ensure that you do not have problems getting specific details and timestamps of consent transactions with your chosen platform. By the way, you can click here to find out some current and proposed data privacy laws in the United States.

Consent Manager Platforms – How They Work

This service or tool is expected to be used with websites and mobile applications, as mentioned earlier. For either option, this is how CMPs work:

Initial Request

Of course, it is usually possible to navigate one’s way to settings that enable consent preferences. However, some directives stress the need for websites and mobile applications to make the process simpler.

So, an initial request is expected to come up from the moment the user arrives at the site. This usually happens via a pop-up notification or a banner.

Consent Gathering

The last stage is crucial to inform users about their data privacy rights and their ability to give and withdraw consent. At this point, users set their preferences, which would then be gathered by the platform.

Preference Management

The next lines of action would then be informed by users’ preferences and gathered consent. By the way, users always have the right to revisit their set preferences.

Records

In no particular order, the system records users’ set preferences. This is a crucial aspect of adhering to data privacy and protection directives from pertinent bodies, as mentioned earlier.

Importance of Using Consent Manager Platforms

The need for CMPs increases by the day. This is for the sake of adhering to directives from regulatory bodies, among other reasons. On the whole, some of the reasons why CMPs should be used include the following:

Compliance

The fact that there are data privacy and protection regulations cannot be overemphasized. It largely informs the need for these platforms.

In light of that, CMPs ensure that you comply with data privacy and protection laws. By the way, this is not just a huge part of compliance regulations in this country but even way beyond.

Risk Mitigation

Laws come with consequences for violations, and it is no different with data privacy and protection laws. The penalties for violating these laws can be very costly.

In light of this, the record-keeping features of this platform are important. This is given how it helps with risk mitigation.

Customization & Flexibility

One common question on this subject matter is whether consent management is possible without the use of CMPs. You should know that it is possible to a certain extent.

For example, limitations in the area of consent preference customization and flexibility are some of the issues when these platforms are not used. So, the fact that the use of CMPs allows for a high level of customization and flexibility in this regard is an advantage on its own.

Winning the Trust of Users

You would be hugely mistaken to think that the concept of data privacy and protection is alien to a lot of people. Experience and reliable research have proven otherwise.

The dangers of online theft are one of the many reasons for this general awakening on the subject. For more on this, you can visit: https://www.justice.gov/.

As a result, many internet users consider websites and mobile applications that do not offer organized data privacy preferences as highly suspicious. In other words, they are not likely to trust such.

By the way, this is not to say that everyone who uses the internet understands or sufficiently understands what it is about. However, so many people are quite aware.

Choosing the Right Consent Manager Platform

Deciding to use a CMP as a mobile application or website owner is a huge step in the right direction. This is considering the several advantages of doing so, some of which have been discussed in the section above.

Be that as it may, you also need to be deliberate about choosing the right consent management platform. To do this, here are some of the things that you need to consider:

Cross-Browser & Cross-Device Consistency

For starters, there should be no complications using the platform on various browsers and devices. This requires using one that takes the peculiarities of various browsers and devices into consideration.

Multilingual Support

What is the point of being presented with consent preference options that you do not understand? That is what happens when the options are presented in a language that you do not understand. For this reason, the right option should have multilingual support.

Updates

There should be updates informed by current regulations, predominant user preferences, and organization policies. This is important for providing services that are best suited for users.

Scalability

Websites and mobile applications have varying sizes and needs. As a result, scalability is one of the major considerations.

Renewal

Consent preferences should not be an all-time thing. Rather, it should be for the time being. This ensures that people can review their decisions and make the best-suited decisions along the way.

Education

Data privacy and protection can be quite complex. As a result, users need to be well-educated. This calls for a high level of transparency and commitment on the part of the platform to educate its users.

Conclusion

We live in a highly digitalized environment that is very data-driven. As a result, people are becoming very conscious of their rights in the area of data privacy and protection. This has informed the need for what CMPs offer.

Furthermore, regulations stressing the importance of these platforms abound. So, mobile application and website owners must understand the importance of CMPs. They also need to make the most of these platforms.

Check the comment section for additional information, or share what you know or ask a question about this article, by clicking the 'View or Write Comment' button below.

Note: Some of the information in samples on this website may have been impersonated or spoofed.