Migros, Swisscom, SBB and Credit Suisse launch pictograms for data protection
A visual language for data protection: pictograms, so-called privacy icons, depict individual aspects of data processing in a simple and understandable way and are thus intended to increase transparency in data protection. They were developed by leading Swiss companies and are now available free of charge.
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Most people agree: data protection is important and your own data should be well protected. Nevertheless, hardly anyone reads data protection declarations. No wonder, data protection notices are usually long and difficult to understand texts. According to a study by the New York Times, many privacy policies are more difficult to read than Immanuel Kant's work "Critique of Pure Reason".
The Privacy Icons association, founded by leading Swiss companies, has set itself the goal of changing this and increasing transparency in data protection. "Who is using my personal data and for what purpose? People should be able to see that at a glance," says Florent Thouvenin, Professor of Information and Communication Law at the University of Zurich and initiator of the Privacy Icons. "That's why we developed the 19 privacy icons."
Switzerland as a pioneer
In addition to data protection declarations that are often difficult to understand, there is also a lack of uniformity between companies. "The Privacy Icons offer the opportunity to establish a standard in Switzerland - as road signs for data protection, so to speak. This is unique in the world," says Matthias Glatthaar, Co-President of the Privacy Icons Association and Data Protection Officer of the Federation of Migros Cooperatives.
Data protection law is intended to help data subjects exercise control over the processing of their data. To do this, however, they must first recognize what is happening with their data. This is why the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner Adrian Lobsiger also welcomes the initiative: "The privacy icons provide orientation and help to make abstract data protection declarations easier to understand, but are not intended to replace them. They promote transparency, which is one of the central concerns in data protection."
Companies set new standards
As of today, Migros, Swisscom, SBB and Credit Suisse are adding the new privacy icons to their data protection notices. BKW and Zurich Insurance are also planning to use the privacy icons. "We invite all companies to use the privacy icons and thereby increase the user-friendliness of their data protection notices," says Juliette Hotz, Co-President of the Privacy Icons Association and Senior Counsel Data Governance at Swisscom. The Privacy Icons are freely available. All companies that process personal data can download the Privacy Icons from the website Privacy-icons.ch/download/ and use it free of charge.
