Automatic Tracking Tool Blocking by User Location and Destination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies struggle to control the use of tracking tools on websites, particularly in scenarios where user consent is given but data transfer restrictions apply, such as transferring EU personal data outside the EU, leading to compliance challenges.
Innovation Solution
A framework that dynamically detects and blocks or limits tracking tools based on user location and data destination, ensuring compliance with regulatory restrictions by preventing data transfer to prohibited locations and managing tool capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If tracking tools are blocked to ensure compliance with data transfer restrictions, then regulatory compliance is improved, but tracking functionality and data collection capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different blocking rules to different tracking tools based on their specific data destinations. Instead of a blanket block, the system evaluates each tracking tool's destination and applies compliance rules locally, allowing tracking functionality to continue where permitted while blocking only where prohibited by regulations like GDPR.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically determines whether to block tracking tools based on real-time evaluation of user location, tracking tool destination, and applicable regulations. The blocking decision is not static but adapts based on the specific combination of user jurisdiction, tool destination, and regulatory requirements, enabling flexible compliance management.
2Reliability
If tracking tools are blocked based on user location and data destination, then data transfer compliance is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary determination of user location and tracking tool data destination before blocking decisions are made. By pre-evaluating these factors and storing the results, the system avoids repeated complex analysis for each tracking event, reducing the computational burden and simplifying the overall system operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary evaluation layer that sits between the tracking tool and the blocking mechanism. This intermediary component assesses compliance requirements and makes blocking decisions, separating the complexity of regulatory evaluation from both the tracking functionality and the blocking execution, thereby managing system complexity more effectively.
3Productivity
If tracking tools are permitted to function, then data collection capability is maintained, but risk of prohibited data transfer increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by proactively evaluating and blocking tracking tools that would transfer data to prohibited destinations before the actual data transfer occurs. By determining user location and tool destination in advance and applying blocking rules beforehand, the system prevents prohibited transfers while allowing compliant tracking to proceed uninterrupted.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, apparatus, systems, computing devices, computing entities, and/or the like for permitting or blocking tracking tools used through webpages. In particular embodiments, the method involves: scanning a webpage to identify a tracking tool configured for processing personal data; determining a data destination location that is associated with the tracking tool; and generating program code configured to: determine a location associated with a user who is associated with a rendering of the webpage; determine a prohibited data destination location based on the location associated with the user; determine that the data destination location associated with the tracking tool is not the prohibited data destination location; and responsive to the data destination location associated with the tracking tool not being the prohibited data destination location, permit the tracking tool to execute.