Dynamic Privacy Risk Profiling for Application Data Collection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users are often unaware of the privacy risks associated with applications and services that collect personal data, leading to potential security vulnerabilities and misuse of sensitive information, as they lack understanding of the data collection practices and benefits.
Innovation Solution
A dynamic system profiling method that analyzes disclosures from application developers and service providers to determine privacy risk profiles, recommending alternatives with lower data collection risks by associating applications with classes based on data types and usage patterns, using machine learning tools for risk metric calculation and clustering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If applications and services collect data to provide features and functionalities, then user experience and service quality are improved, but privacy risk and security vulnerability increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments applications into classes based on their data collection patterns and functionality. By grouping applications with similar characteristics together, the system can analyze and compare data collection practices within each class, enabling users to understand privacy risks in the context of similar applications while still benefiting from necessary data collection for service quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary system that acts as a mediator between applications and users. This system automatically analyzes privacy policies, extracts data collection information, and presents risk assessments to users. The intermediary translates complex privacy information into understandable risk profiles, enabling users to make informed decisions without compromising service quality.
2Loss of information
If users review privacy disclosures to understand data collection, then privacy awareness is improved, but user time and attention are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service system where the technology automatically performs the analysis of privacy disclosures without requiring user intervention. The system extracts data collection information, compares it across applications, and generates risk assessments autonomously. Users simply review the pre-analyzed risk profiles rather than manually analyzing lengthy privacy policies, significantly reducing time and attention requirements while maintaining privacy awareness.
3Productivity
If applications collect more data for targeted advertising, then revenue and business value are improved, but data misuse risk and security vulnerability increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic risk metric that adapts to different application classes and data collection patterns. The risk assessment is not static but dynamically adjusted based on the specific characteristics of each application class and its data collection practices. This allows the system to accommodate necessary data collection for business value while dynamically identifying and flagging excessive or unnecessary data collection that increases misuse risk.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, computer-readable media, software, systems and apparatuses may retrieve, via a computing device and over a network, information related to one or more characteristics of a particular application or service deployed in a computing environment. The particular application or service may be associated with a class of applications or services based on the information. A type of personal data collected may be determined for each application or service in the associated class. For the particular application or service, a risk metric indicative of a type of personal data collected by the particular application or service in relation to the type of personal data collected by other applications or services in the associated class may be determined. An additional application or service with a lower risk than the particular application or service may be recommended.