5. The Maze of Consent: How Complexity Undercuts
Transparency
The Hurdles in Opting Out
Withdrawing your consent on the platform is far from straightforward. To
fully opt out, you must navigate through two separate links and fill out
a form. The initial deactivation button, which turns off chat history
and model training, only applies to future conversations. Prior chats
will continue to be used for training unless you specifically navigate
to and complete an additional opt-out form. This convoluted process
erodes transparency and impedes users’ ability to easily withdraw
consent.
Recommendations for
Improvement
Simplify Consent
Withdrawal
Good design often adheres to the principle of “less is more.” The
option to withdraw consent should be easily accessible, not hidden
behind multiple layers of menus or hyperlinks. A clean interface,
perhaps using progressive disclosure techniques, would make the process
more user-friendly.
Enhance Transparency with Clear Information
Architecture
The key to improving transparency lies in robust information
architecture. Users shouldn’t have to dig through a labyrinth of links
to manage their data and consents. A streamlined, user-focused design
can go a long way in enhancing a user’s ability to control their own
data.