Privacy Management System for Real-Time Web Analytics Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current web analytics management systems are cumbersome for marketers and IT departments to update, often requiring complex modifications and involving multiple vendors, leading to privacy issues due to unknown or unverified third and fourth-party data collectors that may disregard Do-Not-Track headers and share user data without consent.
Innovation Solution
An online privacy management system that uses scripting code to monitor, regulate, and audit data transmission from user terminals, allowing users to control which information is collected and transmitted, by overriding setter functions and using wrapper objects to block unauthorized data transfers based on predefined lists and real-time analysis of data content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If web analytics code is updated to measure different features, then analytics capability is improved, but the process becomes tedious and challenging requiring IT department involvement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service mechanism where marketers can directly modify web analytics code through a graphical user interface without requiring IT department involvement. The system automatically handles code generation, deployment, and synchronization across multiple pages, enabling marketers to independently update analytics tracking for different features and campaigns.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple vendors are involved in web analytics management, then analytics functionality is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple analytics vendors and tracking mechanisms into a single unified management platform. The system provides a centralized interface that consolidates code deployment, variable management, and analytics configuration across multiple vendors, reducing system complexity while maintaining enhanced analytics functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary tag management system that sits between marketers and multiple analytics vendors. This intermediary layer abstracts the complexity of working with multiple vendors by providing standardized interfaces and automatic code generation, allowing marketers to manage analytics functionality without directly dealing with vendor-specific complexities.
3Productivity
If third-party scripts are used for data collection, then data collection capability is improved, but privacy control is worsened due to unknown data collectors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms that provide real-time visibility into which third-party scripts are collecting data, what data is being collected, and where it is being sent. The system monitors and reports on data collection activities, allowing organizations to maintain privacy control while utilizing third-party data collection capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs preliminary action by implementing a whitelist/approval system where third-party scripts must be pre-approved before they can collect data. The system预先 establishes which vendors are trusted and what data they are permitted to collect, preventing unauthorized data collection before it occurs while still allowing legitimate data collection capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A privacy management system (PMS) is disclosed for a Chief Privacy Officer (CPO) or other user to use in monitoring and/or controlling in realtime the flow of data (e.g., outflow) about the user and his/her online experience. The PMS may employ pattern recognition software to evaluate analytics data and potentially block private information from being sent within the analytics data. The PMS may provide a dashboard displaying a whitelist and/or blacklist indicating what destinations/sources are blocked or allowed as well as private information settings indicating what types of private information should be blocked. The PMS includes browser-client scripting code and may also include a PMS-certified verification icon and/or lock and unlock icons for display on webpages being monitored/controlled in realtime by the PMS.