Protecting our Personal Information in a Data Driven World
We are increasingly living in a frictionless world. Innovation has transformed what were once purely physical experiences and radically shifted customer expectations for ease of use, both online and in the real world. This new convenience economy has made us feel like anything and everything is just a click away, from a ride, to dinner, to groceries, all while reducing our tolerance for friction in everyday experiences.
Yet it increasingly feels like these seamless experiences come with an unseen cost. As consumers, we worry that technology companies offer to make our everyday lives easier but require us to surrender our personal privacy in exchange.
This trade-off is a false choice. People do not have to forfeit their right to privacy in order to reap the benefits of faster, more frictionless experiences. Friction in an experience is not a sign of security, it’s a sign of opportunity for improvement. People are expecting a digital experience, which means a more seamless experience. Yet it can be an "and," not an "or," when it comes to creating magical experiences that are frictionless “and” secure. While customers in the new convenience economy have come to expect ease, they should be able to expect control and transparency as well.
As a society, we’ve watched the technology landscape evolve in new and exhilarating ways. Companies have created previously undreamed of tools that changed the way we live, work, and play. We’ve also seen the growing backlash as solutions once seen as magical increasingly feel invasive and exploitative.
Over the last 13 years here at CLEAR, we’ve made it our mission to create safer and easier experiences while at the same time putting security and personal privacy at the heart of everything we do.
People understand the need to share certain information to prove who they are and enjoy certain experiences. While every technology solution is different, we fundamentally believe that there are certain rights to privacy that every American should always enjoy:
➢ Right To Control Your Data: You are you, and your personal information is yours. Data should never be sold.
➢ Right To Know: Companies should always be transparent, so you know when we are asking for your information, what information we are asking for, and how it will be used.
➢ Right To Have Your Data Deleted: You should have full control of your information, including the right to have it corrected or deleted when requested.
➢ Right To Choose What Is Shared: Technology can limit the sharing of personal information that is not relevant to the use case, but it can also lead to data collection abuses. You should control what information you share on a transaction-by-transaction basis.
➢ Right To Transparent Use Of Biometrics: You should never have to use a technology solution you’re not comfortable with. There should always be alternatives for access.
➢ Right To Have Your Data Kept Safe: Technology companies should meet the highest standards for data protection and privacy. We must always act responsibly to protect our customers’ data and keep it secure.
Technology companies need to understand the deep level of trust we must continue to earn every day from our users, as they rely on us to protect their personally identifiable data. People should never have to decide between embracing exciting, innovative solutions and maintaining control over their personal information. We can and should deliver experiences that surprise and delight people and continue to create a frictionless world, while recognizing the fundamental privacy rights of everyone.
