Sign up for Consumer Reports app to take back control of your personal data

Permission Slip by CR, a free app from Consumer Reports, helps users regain control of their personal information and requests that companies delete or stop selling their data. The app is available on iOS and Android.

Users can swipe through companies that may have their data, and with a tap, send a request for changes.

The app currently includes a broad range of industries and companies – from McDonald’s to Applebee’s, AMC Theatres to Ticketmaster, Amazon to Netflix, The Home Depot to Lowe’s, OpenTable to Instacart, and many others. More companies will continue to be added to the app.  

Permission Slip was developed by Consumer Reports, a testing and advocacy organization, as privacy laws began to be carried out in multiple states, with California’s the first that went into effect in January 2020.

Through Permission Slip, Consumer Reports acts as an “authorized agent” that files data requests on behalf of consumers and follows up with companies to help ensure the requests are completed. The app lets consumers avoid the time-consuming and complicated process of approaching each company to manage their personal data.  

“We’re thrilled to put the power to control your data directly into consumers’ hands with Permission Slip,” said Ginny Fahs, director of Product R&D for Consumer Reports’ Innovation Lab. “People need and deserve control over the sensitive details of their lives, particularly in a market where every click and purchase is carefully tracked.”

To start protecting their data, Permission Slip users should:  

• Tap on a company to see what type of information they collect.  
• Take action by deleting their data or opting out of its sale. 
• Enlist in automatic requests to data brokers, companies that collect large amounts of consumer data without their consent.

Through the app, consumers can also check the status of their requests and receive confirmation when the requests have been honored. In some cases, companies reach out to the user directly to verify their identity before the request can be finalized.  

Consumer Reports is also working on the Data Rights Protocol, a new open standard that will help companies process consumers’ data rights requests more efficiently, Fahs said.

Comments

[azurite]

how much data does the CR app collect? Most apps seem to, even the free apps developed by the VA, and whenever I've visited the Apple app store, if any imformation is provided about what's collected & what's done w/it, is very vague. We can thank Congress & every presidential administration for the failure to regulate human data privacy even as well as the EU has.

I see that the app may be useful, but only if the corporations contacted: (1) voluntarily cooperate and (2) cooperate & fully disclose. Only "stick" seems to be maybe getting some unfavorable twitter and FB coments.

But thank you for letting people know such an app exists.

[Rita]

Yes, I like to follow the consumer news especially news that helpful but isn't widespread.

It seems like the app is a positive step. I'm going to try it.