PrivacyValidated

PrivacyValidated is a privacy certification program designed to assess and verifiably demonstrate how software, services, and platforms handle personal data. The program provides a framework of criteria intended to reflect common privacy protections and user rights, enabling organizations to communicate privacy assurance to customers, partners, and regulators.

The criteria cover data minimization, purpose limitation, consent management, transparency, user rights processing, data retention and deletion, security controls, data sharing with third parties, cross-border transfers, incident response, and ongoing monitoring. Criteria are developed by a multi-stakeholder standards body and are periodically updated to reflect technological and regulatory developments.

Certification process typically includes documentation review, a data protection impact assessment or equivalent privacy risk assessment, and independent audits of practices and controls. The certification is issued for a defined period and requires periodic reassessment to maintain validity. Some programs also require ongoing monitoring or annual attestations.

Governance is usually provided by a nonprofit or industry consortium that maintains the standard, accredits auditors, and updates the criteria. The program aims to reduce fragmentation in privacy assurances and provide a comparable signal across different products and markets.

Adoption has grown in certain sectors, particularly cloud services, marketing platforms, and mobile applications, where buyers seek verifiable privacy commitments. Critics note potential costs for small companies, the risk of overemphasis on checklist compliance, and the need for credible enforcement and regular updates.

PrivacyValidated operates alongside existing privacy laws and frameworks, and is intended as a voluntary, market-driven tool to enhance trust and accountability in data processing.