Published by Privacy Advisory on 5 May 2023
CyberCX, Australia and New Zealand’s leading provider of cyber security and cyber risk advisory services, has recognised organisations leading the market in Privacy by Design across their digital shopfronts.
Many Australian organisations have been on a “privacy journey” – some for years, others kickstarted more recently following high profile data breaches, and increasing regulatory scrutiny.
With privacy concerns rising among businesses, government, policy makers, and the public, it is important to recognise and celebrate the efforts of those organisations who are making real progress in safeguarding Australians online.
CyberCX has released the 2023 Privacy by Design report which assessed over 100 leading Australian brands against 120 measurable attributes.
The research has allowed CyberCX to recognise privacy leaders across three award categories:
- Top State Government Organisation: ServiceNSW
- Top Federal Government Organisation: Australian Broadcasting Corporation
- Top Corporate Organisation: Woolworths Group
CyberCX recognised three industry-leading initiatives with High Commended awards, for tangible efforts that have been made to implement one or more of the Privacy by Design principles:
- Cookie and website tracking technology consent: ABC
- Information sharing which safeguards privacy: Commonwealth Bank’s
- CommBank iQ
- Privacy dashboard: Google
Highly Commended: ABC
The ABC demonstrated excellence in Privacy by Design Principle 2, Privacy as the Default Setting, and Principle 7, Respect for user privacy in their cookie and website tracking technology consent policy implementation.
“We all love to hate cookie banners, but well done they represent an important mechanism to control user surveillance on the web,” said CyberCX’s Privacy Lead, David Batch.
“There aren’t many good examples of one-click, dark-patternless cookies banners in the Australian consumer market that give visitors to websites an informed and easy choice not to be tracked for marketing and analytics purposes,” said Batch.
“The ABC have led the way on cookie and website tracking technology consent, and in giving this award we are hoping more brands will mimic their approach.”
Highly Commended: Commonwealth Bank
Commonwealth Bank’s efforts have made it clear that privacy and data utility doesn’t need to be a trade-off, which is better known as Privacy by Design Principle 4, Full functionality: Positive-Sum, not Zero-sum.
“Commonwealth Bank’s privacy-first Commbank iQ leads the way on Privacy by Design data sharing, including prioritising transparency about the steps they have taken to explain what the program is, why the bank is building the initiative, and the key role that privacy considerations have played as part of the data sharing arrangement,” noted Batch.
High Commended: Google
Google’s Privacy Dashboard represents a best-in-class effort to implement Privacy by Design Principle 3, Privacy embedded into the design, and Principle 7, Respect for user privacy – keeping it user centric.
Batch highlighted that, “Google’s outstanding privacy dashboard represents a world-leading privacy partnership between a business and its consumers. Putting real power and control in the hands of users as they seek more influence over their online privacy is no mean feat, and masterfully executed here.”
