Cross-Device Tracking: Time To Reevaluate Privacy Policies

U.S companies are expected to explain how consumers are being tracked across devices, so that the company knows a consumer accessing its website from smartphone, tablet, television, laptop or other devices. Until now, U.S. companies were expected to provide transparency about intricate tracking techniques, but the FTC has specifically staked out requirements for explaining cross-device tracking of consumers. To be safe, revise your company's privacy policy to reflect any cross-device tracking, and stay off the FTC's enforcement list.

On January 23, 2017, the FTC released its report Cross-Device Tracking, insisting on transparency, consumer choice, security and protection of sensitive data for consumers. Of these challenges, transparency and consumer choice can be addressed in a company's privacy policy. A privacy policy allows companies to be transparent about their collection and use of personal information and other non-personal information collected from consumers,