Privacy Controls

Whether you’re a CISO, Chief Privacy Officer, IT leader, or just a privacy conscious employe it’s really important to understand the reason why an organization will have different privacy controls and how this is a foundation of protecting personal data.

Privacy controls are foundational mechanisms. Technical, administrative, and physical that protect individuals’ personal data from misuse, unauthorized access, or regulatory non-compliance. With a sharp rise in global privacy regulations like GDPR, CPRA, and the NIST Privacy Framework 1.1, privacy controls have evolved from an afterthought to a strategic pillar in corporate governance, risk management, and compliance efforts.

What Are the Privacy Controls?

Privacy controls refer to policies, settings, technologies, and processes that govern how personal data is collected, stored, processed, and shared. These controls ensure data subjects can exert meaningful control over their personal information and help organizations maintain legal and ethical data stewardship.

Privacy Controls Examples

• Cookie Consent Management Platforms (CMPs): Required in regions in the USA but with an opt-out model vs. the EU (opt-in model) to manage user preferences for cookies and tracking.
• Granular User Permissions: Enabling users to control what data is shared.
• Data Encryption: Both in transit and at rest.
• Audit Logs: Ensuring traceability and accountability.
• Anonymization Techniques: To minimize privacy risk for analytics and AI models.

Privacy Controls in Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity and privacy are tightly interlinked. While cybersecurity controls aim to protect information systems, privacy controls specifically focus on safeguarding personal data.

Common Data Privacy Controls Include:

• Data Minimization Protocols
• Automated Data Retention Schedules
• Policy-Based Access Control (PBAC)
• Geofencing Data Flows (for jurisdictional compliance)
• Data Subject Rights Automation (DSAR tools)

Privacy and Security Settings

Privacy settings are end-user options typically found in software or platforms, allowing individuals to customize the degree to which their personal information is exposed. Security settings control access, authentication, and protections against threats.

Examples:

• Turning off location tracking on mobile devices
• Managing third-party integrations in apps
• Customizing ad tracking in browsers
• Enabling two-factor authentication (2FA)

Privacy Controls NIST

The NIST Privacy Framework aligns with the Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 and provides a flexible blueprint for organizations to:

• Identify privacy risks
• Govern and manage privacy operations
• Implement controls to mitigate privacy events
• Communicate privacy practices
• Protect personal data throughout its lifecycle

It’s important to classify privacy risks and helps translate them into actionable outcomes tied to business objectives, especially relevant in AI, biometric data processing, and cross-border data transfers.

My Privacy Settings

These are user-specific controls allowing individuals to:

• Opt in or out of marketing emails
• Limit location tracking
• Restrict third-party data sharing
• View and delete activity logs (e.g., search history)

Privacy settings put data agency back in the hands of the user.

Data and Privacy Settings

Organizations now increasingly offer consolidated dashboards for users to manage both data settings (e.g., data portability, download, deletion) and privacy settings (e.g., consent, sharing preferences). Unified portals like Google’s “My Account” and Apple’s App Privacy Report exemplify best practices and you can create a portal for your company or application. If you need help building out a trust center ask one of our privacy superheroes here at Captain Compliance.

Google Privacy Settings

Google offers one of the most comprehensive privacy centers and is a great example to model your privacy center after:

• Activity Controls: Pause or delete web & app activity
• Ad Personalization: Customize or disable interest-based ads
• Location History: View and manage past locations
• Data Download: Export entire account history
• Account Deletion: Schedule automatic account deletion or inactivity settings

Now we’re going to go through the types, levels, pillars, controls, access, and security control types.

What Are the 5 Types of Privacy?

1. Informational Privacy – Control over how personal data is collected and used.
2. Physical Privacy – Protection from physical intrusions or surveillance.
3. Decisional Privacy – Freedom to make autonomous personal decisions.
4. Proprietary Privacy – Right to control intellectual property and business data.
5. Associational Privacy – Right to group affiliations and interactions.

What Are the 4 Levels of Privacy?

1. Public – Freely available information.
2. Internal – Accessible within a company or organization.
3. Confidential – Restricted to authorized personnel.
4. Highly Sensitive – Requires multi-layered security and encryption (e.g., health or biometric data).

What Are the 4 Pillars of Privacy?

1. Transparency – Users must be clearly informed about data collection and usage.
2. Choice – Ability to opt in/out of specific data processing activities.
3. Minimization – Collect only the data that is absolutely necessary.
4. Security – Protect data at all stages through adequate safeguards.

What Are the 4 States of Privacy?

1. Data at Rest – Stored data in databases or file systems.
2. Data in Transit – Data moving across networks, requiring TLS or VPNs.
3. Data in Use – Active data accessed by applications or systems.
4. Data Disposal – Secure deletion processes like shredding, wiping, or degaussing.

What Are the Three Control Types in Security & Privacy?

1. Technical Controls – Cryptography, firewalls, access control software.
2. Administrative Controls – Policies, training, incident response.
3. Physical Controls – Locks, surveillance, restricted access areas.

What Are the 3 Controls?

1. Preventive – Access restrictions, MFA, firewalls.
2. Detective – Audit logs, intrusion detection systems.
3. Corrective – Patching vulnerabilities, resetting credentials after a breach.

What Are Examples of Security Controls?

• Multi-factor Authentication (MFA)
• Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDPS)
• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
• Antivirus and Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR)
• Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASBs)

What Are the 3 Types of Access Control?

1. Discretionary Access Control (DAC) – Users control access to their owned resources.
2. Mandatory Access Control (MAC) – Centralized policy determines access, often in government systems.
3. Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) – Access based on organizational roles, widely used in enterprises.

Critical Features for Effective Privacy Controls

• 🔒 End-to-End Encryption (E2EE)
• 🔍 Real-Time Activity Monitoring
• 🛠️ Centralized Consent Management
• ✅ Automated Compliance Audits
• 🧾 Granular Access Logs
• 🧠 Machine Learning-Based Anomaly Detection
• 🔁 Data Lifecycle Governance

Steps to Implement Effective Privacy Controls

1. Conduct a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) – Identify risks and regulatory exposures.
2. Define Policies and Objectives – Align with GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, or local laws.
3. Implement Technical & Administrative Controls – Based on the NIST CSF or ISO 27001.
4. Train Stakeholders – Embed privacy awareness across departments.
5. Continuously Monitor & Update – Use privacy engineering and DevSecOps to adapt to emerging risks.

Privacy Controls in the Context of AI & Automation

Privacy controls must now account for:

• AI training datasets that might include PII
• Automated decision-making under GDPR Article 22
• Synthetic data generation as an anonymization strategy
• Model transparency and explainability to reduce bias and ensure fairness

Privacy Control Compliance Help

Privacy controls are no longer a checkbox they’re a cornerstone of trust and compliance. As regulatory expectations mount and digital threats evolve, organizations must treat privacy controls as dynamic, living processes. When integrated effectively, they empower users, align with global laws, reduce reputational risk, and offer competitive advantage in data-driven economies.

Whether you’re deploying AI, entering new jurisdictions, or building consumer-facing platforms, the implementation of mature, proactive privacy controls is both a shield and a strategic differentiator that any tech oriented organization should implement.