Privacy Management

Privacy management encompasses the operational activities, processes, tools, and systems that organizations use to implement privacy policies, fulfill compliance obligations, and protect personal information on a day-to-day basis. It's the practical execution of privacy governance strategy, translating policies into actions. Privacy management includes handling data subject requests (access, deletion, correction), maintaining consent records, managing cookie compliance, conducting vendor assessments, training employees, monitoring privacy risks, maintaining processing records, coordinating breach response, and implementing privacy controls. Modern privacy management often involves specialized software platforms that automate workflows for request fulfillment, consent management, data mapping, and compliance reporting. These privacy management platforms help organizations scale their privacy operations as data volumes and regulatory requirements grow. Effective privacy management requires clear ownership and accountability—someone must be responsible for each privacy task. Organizations typically designate privacy teams or privacy champions across business units to distribute privacy management responsibilities. Privacy management differs from privacy governance in focus—governance establishes the framework and strategic direction, while management handles operational execution. Strong privacy management ensures that privacy commitments are actually implemented, not just documented in policies. It makes privacy operational rather than theoretical.