Why is centralization and historicization of privacy notices important?

Centralization and historicization of privacy notices are crucial practices for proper and GDPR-compliant processing of personal data. Under GDPR, the burden of proof lies with the company, which must be able to demonstrate not only the lawfulness of the consents collected but also which version of the privacy notice was viewed by the data subject at the time consent was given, including details such as language and historical version of the notice. To ensure responsible and transparent management of this information, it is essential that each privacy notice be centralized and historicized.

Centralization of privacy notices
Centralizing privacy notices means collecting and managing all versions of the privacy notices in a single, easily accessible, and organized archive. Trust Guardian allows companies to centralize privacy notices in different languages. This eliminates the need to manually update the document across each company touchpoint (such as websites, e-commerce, newsletters, CRM, e-commerce platforms, etc.) whenever there is a change, ensuring that all touchpoints use the most up-to-date and consistent versions of the notices, as Trust Guardian always provides the latest version. This way, the company can avoid misalignments that could lead to misunderstandings or complaints from data subjects.

Historicization of privacy notices
Historicizing privacy notices allows all previous versions of the notices that have been used over time to be stored. This aspect is particularly important to demonstrate GDPR compliance, as it makes it possible to reconstruct exactly which version of the privacy notice was accepted by data subjects at a specific time. In the event of disputes, audits, or inspections by regulatory authorities, the ability to access historical versions of privacy notices provides a solid basis of proof in favour of the company.

The role of Trust Guardian in centralizing and historicizing privacy notices
Trust Guardian provides companies with a solution to centralize and historicize all privacy notices in a secure and compliant way. Each new version is collected in the centralized archive, allowing for a complete overview of the information provided to data subjects, including version management in different languages. This makes it possible to transparently and accurately document all acknowledgments for each data subject, ensuring that each touchpoint is always up to date.

Through Trust Guardian platform, companies can reduce the risks of non-compliance by ensuring that every privacy notice is always up to date and that all changes are documented. This way, the company can demonstrate its accountability and responsible management of personal data, enhancing user trust and resilience in the face of disputes or inspections.