By Dr. Emilie Kuijt – Data Protection Officer of AppsFlyer
For too long, digital privacy has been treated as a box to check. This represents an increasingly risky proposition. Instead of treating privacy as an obstacle to overcome, companies should proactively embed “privacy by design” into their products—prioritizing transparency, data minimization, and informed consent.
Those that do will stay ahead of evolving regulations and build lasting consumer trust, while brands that fail to recognize this shift risk losing their customers.
The Demand for Transparency Is Growing
Consumers increasingly demand transparency and control over their personal data. High-profile data breaches, AI-driven personalization, and behavioral tracking have made them more conscious of how their information is collected and used, yet many companies still do the bare minimum and comply only with the letter of privacy laws rather than their spirit.
This is a grave mistake. Privacy is a factor in consumer decision-making today, and people increasingly choose brands that clearly communicate their data practices, offer meaningful consent options, and actively demonstrate ethical stewardship of user information. Companies that continue to operate with vague policies and unclear data practices will face regulatory scrutiny and lose out to competitors who treat privacy as a core value rather than a burden.
For example, in the eye of the consumer, Apple has made privacy a core part of its brand, introducing privacy labels in the App Store and giving users more control. Similarly, Microsoft has prioritized user privacy by embedding robust privacy controls in its products, such as customizable data collection settings in Windows and transparency reports outlining any data requests received from the government. Even consumer retail brands like Under Armour have committed themselves to privacy by implementing robust data protection measures to fitness and health platforms to guarantee sensitive user data is secure and in the control of consumers.
The Trust Gap: Consumers Don’t Believe Companies Are Protecting Their Data
There is a growing trust gap between companies and their consumers regarding privacy. Many users are skeptical of how brands handle their data, and this distrust is amplified by personalization and tracking technologies that often feel intrusive rather than helpful.
Part of the problem is that too many businesses treat privacy policies as regrettable technicalities rather than an opportunity to guide and engage with their users in a privacy-first approach. Privacy should not be hidden in legalese. Companies need to be upfront, clear, and proactive in explaining their data practices. Transparency ensures that users fully understand—and feel in control of—how their data is used.
The companies that are winning on privacy are those that integrate it into their product development from the start. This privacy-by-design approach ensures that products and services are built with clear consent mechanisms, minimal data collection, and user control at their core.
In practice, this means embracing:
- Clear and Informed Consent – Users should be given straightforward, easy-to-understand choices about how their data is used, with opt-in/out options that don’t require excessive effort.
- Data Minimization: Companies should collect only the essential data necessary for their services. Consumers are becoming wary of “allow all” data requests and are more likely to trust brands that limit their data collection.
- Ongoing User Engagement—Privacy cannot be a one-time agreement; it should be an ongoing dialogue in which users are periodically reminded of their choices and given opportunities to adjust them.
Emerging technologies, including AI-powered personalization, biometric tracking, and smart devices, introduce new privacy challenges every day. Businesses that fail to anticipate and act upon these risks will struggle to adapt to the next wave of regulations and consumer expectations.
When privacy is treated as an integral part of the user experience, consumers feel more in control—and that builds loyalty.
Brands that fail to prioritize privacy are exposing themselves to serious business risks. Regulatory fines for non-compliance are increasing, with laws like GDPR and CCPA enforcing strict penalties. Companies that mishandle user data face reputational harm and customer churn that can be far more costly.
In contrast, companies that lead with privacy-first practices gain a competitive edge. They avoid regulatory pitfalls, attract privacy-conscious consumers, and build brand loyalty in a way that purely transactional relationships never can.
The Future: Privacy as a Brand Imperative
Brands that integrate privacy by design today will future-proof their products and create stronger, more trusting relationships with the consumers they serve. Ultimately, privacy is about respecting the people who trust you with their data. In an always-online world where trust is in short supply, that respect will be the difference between businesses that succeed and those that fail.
