Privacy labels should go to the dogs

Data privacy is a complex multi-faceted concept which is not easy to get a grip on, even more so when it's about you and your dog. Modern data-driven tech often has long and unreadable privacy policies making it difficult for consumers to understand what is being captured—and technology for dogs is no exception to that. Privacy labels present an alternative approach to informing consumers, aiming to provide a clear, visual summary of relevant data privacy concerns. However, no labels tailored to technology for dogs, let alone animals, seem to exist as of yet. In this work, we present an initial set of informative privacy labels usable in different contexts that inform dog owners of the most important privacy considerations for them and their dogs. The label design is grounded in the results of a mixed-method study eliciting requirements from dog owners towards typical pet technologies' data handling, cross-referenced with analysis of actual dog tech's data handling. We discuss the design of the labels, who could and should use them, and the additional uses that such labels may have for human-dog relationships.