re:consent gives you more privacy control on the web
The open source tool shows you which data collection purposes you have (unwittingly) agreed to on websites such as Google or Facebook. You can then change the settings quickly and easily.
Are you always aware of what data you share with websites and online platforms? No? Then you are like most other Internet users, who often unwittingly give their consent for data processing without knowing exactly what far-reaching access rights they have granted to data collectors.
With re:consent you can easily change that. The open source tool shows you which data you share and thus creates transparency. It leads you directly to the often well hidden or deliberately confusing or unnecessarily complex privacy settings. So you can quickly and easily check and change your consent for data processing, e.g. location sharing, face recognition or cookie tracking.
re:consent works for websites that adhere to the “Transparency & Consent Framework” of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), as well as Google and Facebook. The free transparency tool is integrated into the Cliqz Browser for Windows and Mac and is available as an extension for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.
Here's how it works
You can check the current status of the data collection on the currently opened website through the re:consent icon next to the URL bar. A blue tick indicates that you have denied third-party data use for all purposes (IAB) or deactivated all data collection options (Google and Facebook) on this page.
A red pencil indicates that you should check your privacy and opt-in preferences. The options available may vary depending on which website you visit.
If you click on the re:consent icon, a settings window opens in which you can see for which purposes you have allowed or denied data collection. You can use the toggles to grant or revoke your permission for each purpose individually. By clicking on “Deny all”, you prohibit the site from collecting any data, for example for advertising purposes.
On a Google page, re:consent lists all of Google’s and YouTube’s privacy settings, including search history, location history, audio history, and device information. Once you’re signed in to your Google Account, you’ll see which options are active or inactive. Due to technical limitations, these settings cannot be changed directly within re:consent, but only one click takes you to Google’s activity controls, where you can adjust your privacy settings.
On a Facebook page, re:consent displays Facebook’s privacy and data sharing settings. You’ll need to be signed in for that. Then you can see at a glance whether, for example, face recognition and location sharing are enabled. As with Google, for technical reasons it is not possible to change the settings directly. You’ll first need to open the Facebook settings with one click to check and adjust, for example, third-party data access.
re:consent does not yet work on websites that do not belong to Google or Facebook and do not use the IAB consent management framework. In this case, the re:consent icon will not appear in Cliqz and Firefox. In Chrome it is grayed out and inactive. When you click on it, the following message will appear: “re:consent cannot access the consent controls on this website.”
re:consent offers more control over your direct interaction with websites that often use manipulative UX design – so-called dark patterns – to nudge you towards particular choices and actions that may be against your own interest. This makes re:consent a smart addition to third-party tracking protection provided by Cliqz and Ghostery.
