Cookie Data Identification System for Privacy Compliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for improved systems and methods to ensure that website cookies comply with legal and industry regulations regarding the collection and storage of personal data, as changes in regulations affect what information can be included in cookies, and there is a requirement to identify cookies that may contain personally identifiable information.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented data processing method that scans websites using unique user profiles to identify web beacons, determine their purpose, and assess whether they contain personal data, generating reports for website administrators on cookies that may identify individuals, thereby ensuring compliance with legal and industry standards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple unique user profiles are used to scan websites for web beacons and cookies, then the ability to identify personal data improves, but the complexity of the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the scanning process by creating multiple unique user profiles, where each profile independently scans websites for web beacons and cookies. This segmentation allows comprehensive data collection from different user perspectives while maintaining manageable complexity through modular profile-based scanning operations.
Solution Approach 2:
Each unique user profile serves multiple functions: it scans for web beacons, collects cookie data, determines hosts, identifies purposes, and assesses personal data likelihood. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity by using standardized profiles that can be reused across different scanning tasks and websites.
2Reliability
If comprehensive scanning of multiple websites is performed to identify web beacons, then detection capability improves, but the time required for scanning increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring multiple unique user profiles with standardized scanning parameters before actual website scanning begins. This preliminary setup enables rapid execution of comprehensive scans across multiple websites without repeatedly configuring scanning parameters during the actual detection process.
Solution Approach 2:
The scanning process maintains continuity by systematically having each unique user profile scan multiple websites in sequence without interruption. This continuous scanning approach ensures comprehensive detection capability while optimizing time utilization by keeping all scanning operations actively running rather than pausing between scans.
3Measurement precision
If detailed analysis of cookie data and web beacon purposes is conducted, then identification accuracy improves, but the processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The analysis process is segmented into distinct evaluation components: determining the host of web beacons, identifying the purpose of cookies, and assessing the likelihood of personal data identification. Each component processes specific aspects of cookie data independently, improving identification accuracy while managing processing complexity through modular analysis steps.
4Reliability
If reports are generated for each website administrator regarding identified cookies, then compliance assurance improves, but the quantity of information processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and isolates only the most relevant information for compliance reporting: identified cookies, their hosts, purposes, and personal data likelihood assessments. By extracting only essential compliance-related data rather than processing all collected information, the system ensures reliable compliance assurance while minimizing the volume of information that needs to be processed and reported.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for identifying and determining whether a particular cookie may include personal data, in any embodiment described herein, is configured to analyze collected cookies to determine whether the collected cookies may be used to directly or indirectly identify a particular individual. The system may, for example: (1) generate one or more virtual profiles; (2) use the one or more virtual profiles to access a plurality of websites; (3) collect cookie data for the plurality of websites for the one or more virtual profiles; and (4) analyze the cookie data to determine whether a particular website of the plurality of websites utilizes one or more cookies which may potentially include personal data. The system may then generate a report of the analysis, and display the report to an administrator or other individual associated with the particular website.