Xiaomi scores big on user data privacy protection
User privacy has become front and center for organizations across the globe – and for a good reason. More data is being collected than ever before.
Trends, such as big data and analytics and the Internet of Things, have accelerated how data is collected, stored, and used. This acceleration has also inspired a flurry of user privacy laws, leaving teams scrambling to keep up.
Although this is a time-consuming task, respecting user privacy and achieving GDPR compliance have their benefits. Organizations that prioritize user privacy effectively build trust with consumers.
Whether your organization’s consumers are other businesses or the general population, privacy management is becoming a differentiator.
People and organizations are putting more weight on user privacy as a factor in their decision making.
In fact, Forrester’s research revealed that three-quarters (75%) of organizations say they consider the safeguarding of customers’ privacy to be a competitive differentiator.
Your customers want to do business with organizations they can trust.
For that reason, it’s easy to see why Xiaomi, a consumer electronics company, upholds the highest standards of user privacy policies and practices.
Exciting products without sacrificing user privacy
Xiaomi is a Global Fortune 500 company founded on the core value of privacy. They manufacture consumer electronics such as smartphones and smart hardware connected by an IoT platform.
As one of the world’s leading smartphone companies, Xiaomi’s IoT platform has over 400 million connected smart devices. Or in other words, a plethora of data.
Rather than profit from its user data, Xiaomi took the path less traveled. From its inception in 2010, it has adopted the concept of privacy by design in its product development process.
Xiaomi is constantly seeking innovative technologies to protect user privacy.
By following 5 privacy principles, Xiaomi embraces its vision to make friends with users and be the coolest company in the users’ hearts.
Friends are transparent. Friends aren’t out there selling your stuff behind your back or sending you spammy messages. Friends have your back. Just like Xiaomi has their customer’s backs.
Before GDPR was passed, Xiaomi established its Security and Privacy Committee in 2014. Two years later, Xiaomi became the first Chinese enterprise to receive TrustArc’s Enterprise Privacy certification.
After adopting the GDPR of the EU compliance assessment in 2018, Xiaomi has continued to improve data protection and user privacy through assessments and certification.
How Xiaomi’s user data privacy protection keeps improving
Staying true to its values, Xiaomi wanted to ensure that its processing of personal information is performed in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation.
To do so, Xiaomi decided to conduct an independent audit of its data protection and security management through TrustArc.
Cui Baoqiu, Xiaomi Vice President and Chairman of the Security and Privacy Committee, explains in a press release, “the GDPR Validation Assessment is an important step in continuously enhancing the company’s data and security compliance.
We regularly engage with TRUSTe, as well as other credible institutions globally to warrant that Xiaomi’s user privacy protection, including GDPR compliance, keeps improving and perfecting its practices to offer our users reliable and trustworthy products and services.
I’m very pleased to see that Xiaomi has completed TRUSTe’s annual audit of GDPR privacy compliance, which demonstrates our commitment to privacy protection.”
The TrustArc GDPR Validation Requirements focus on privacy program level measures in eight areas:
- Integrated Governance
- Risk Management
- Resource Allocation
- Policies and Standards
- Processes
- Awareness and Training
- Monitoring and Assurance
- Reporting and Certification
The measures in this assessment are designed to provide reasonable assurance that all 40 GDPR Validation Requirements are met.
Due to Xiaomi’s commitment to user privacy at its core, it has met the applicable validation requirements for processing personal information.
Compliance inspires brand loyalty
An organization with as much data as Xiaomi can’t risk the consequences of violating GDPR or the loss of customer trust. Meeting the GDPR validation requirements gives Xiaomi executives peace of mind when it comes to user privacy and data security.
While some organizations are just starting to comply with privacy regulations, Xiaomi has embraced user privacy from the beginning. This demonstrated commitment to privacy protection sets Xiaomi apart from its competitors and inspires a friendship with its customers.
No matter the size of the organization, user data privacy is no longer a “nice to have” – it’s a “must have” to stay competitive in today’s market. Don’t treat customer privacy as just another thing to do. Embrace user privacy to build consumer trust and loyalty to your brand.
