Giving and removing consent

Remind people of their choices

An alert about data being shared with a call to action to review data sharing settings.

Description

Remind people of their choices at relevant moments such as at point-of-use or after long periods of inactivity.

For example, if someone previously allowed data about them to be shared with a third party, prompt them when new data is about to be transferred.

These contextual reminders can clarify, in context, why an action is happening based on earlier decisions, helping people understand how their preferences shape the service.

Notice of upcoming action is a related pattern, reminding people ahead of time so they have space to review or change what they’ve allowed.

IF believes these reminders keep data-sharing decisions meaningful and aligned with people’s expectations over time.

Advantages

  • Shows when a service is acting according to a person’s previous decisions.
  • Helps people understand how sharing permissions enable or restrict functionality.
  • Encourages people to reconsider whether their existing choices still feel right.

Limitations

  • Hard to provide timely reminders when data-use happens in the background.
  • Too many prompts can cause irritation or fatigue.
  • Reminders after long inactivity may feel unexpected or insensitive.

Examples

Related patterns