Data privacy is a contentious issue that’s being discussed worldwide. Today, we are witnessing a trend of connectivity and integration on an unprecedented scale. Against this backdrop, several measures are being taken by various entities around the world to mitigate these risks and vulnerabilities. Governments are introducing more data privacy laws, companies are rolling out data privacy compliance tools, and people are taking measures to limit the risks that these system vulnerabilities cause.
But there’s a major catch when it comes to data privacy tools. Several free tools in the market claim to offer data privacy, but that may not be the case. There are several vulnerabilities and risks that these free data privacy tools might pose.
Here, we will be looking at some of the most important data protection tools, the risks that free data privacy tools pose, and why you should always opt for a paid version of the same.
Types of Data Privacy Tools
There are several types of privacy tools available on the market. Some of the most prominent ones are:
- Cookie consent management – These tools and systems help aid and manage cookie collection procedures and store user consent. These cookies contain packets of data about users, and businesses can use this data to improve customer experience. Then, they can customize their products and services to match changing tastes and preferences.
- Consent preference management – There may be instances when end users consent to companies collecting their data to receive a highly optimized experience. Taking it a step further, users may even provide companies with data voluntarily in order to customize the experience further. A system needs to be in place to manage these consents and preferences while complying with various data privacy regulations. This is where a consent preference management system comes in.
- DSAR management – DSAR or Data Subject Access Request is a provision that has been mandated by the GDPR. It empowers end users to request companies to furnish details regarding the nature of data that they have collected from them, the reason why such data was collected, how the data sets are being used, and more. Managing all these requests and responding to them is mandatory for businesses, and this is where a DSAR system comes into the picture. These systems respond to user requests and help with compliance as well.
These are some of the most important systems when it comes to data privacy and data protection compliance. Now, let’s look at the reasons why you shouldn’t opt for a free data privacy tool.
Free Tools Come with Risks
Businesses aren’t charities. These so-called “free tools” aren’t so free after all, since businesses need to generate revenues and profits. With that in mind, let’s start.
- You are the product – Seems odd, right? If you are using a free tool, then that is exactly what you are for the developers and businesses. They will try to sell your data to third-party buyers who can then use this data for marketing and other commercial purposes. The business model of such free systems involves selling data sets and cookies to third parties to third-party firms, and that is how they generate the lion’s share of their revenue. If you don’t want to end up as the product itself, you should always opt for something like a paid cookie consent management system, so that your data stays protected.
- Advertisements – No one loves to see ads and pop-ups, and more so when these restrict the application’s functionalities. Free data privacy tools do just that. Since the tools are free and the developer has no revenue stream, they often resort to ad marketing on their platforms. These ads might be targeted or entirely random, depending on the platform’s preferences and targets. Mostly a nuisance, these ads can restrict functionality and generate major glitches. A paid data privacy tool wouldn’t display ads, thereby ensuring a better user experience that the free tools simply can’t deliver.
- Limited functionality – Most applications and tools operate on the freemium business model. Under this business model, one can download an app for free, but most features that are useful are blocked off. This means you need to pay a fee to unlock those features, thereby defeating the purpose of a free tool altogether. Moreover, a free tool may not be well-developed, and have glitches and faults that may hamper workflow, or compromise data privacy. This makes getting a paid data privacy tool simply better.
Final take
Free data privacy tools aren’t the best when it comes to executing the job effectively and efficiently. There are several risks that these tools may pose, causing more harm than good. This strengthens the cause for paid privacy and protection tools that much more.
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