Privacy & Trust UX

Fidus is built with privacy-first principles. Every UI element communicates data provenance, processing location, and user control. Trust is earned through transparency and user empowerment.

Core Privacy Principles

1. Transparency

Users always know where their data is processed, stored, and who has access. No hidden data flows.

2. User Control

Users decide what data to share, with whom, and for how long. Easy revocation of permissions.

3. Local-First

Sensitive data processed locally when possible. Cloud sync is optional and explicit.

4. Data Minimization

Only collect and process data necessary for the feature. No excessive data hoarding.

Privacy Badges

Every data-displaying UI element includes a privacy badge indicating data provenance and processing location:

🔒 Local

Local Processing

Data processed on your device. Never leaves your machine. Highest privacy level.

☁️ Cloud

Private Cloud

Data synchronized to your private, encrypted cloud storage. You control access.

🔗 External

External Service

Data from third-party services (Google Calendar, banks, etc.). Subject to their privacy policies.

🤖 AI

AI Processing

Data analyzed by AI/LLM for insights. Choose local or cloud-based AI processing.

Privacy in UI Components

Opportunity Cards

Always include privacy badge in header showing data source:

💰Budget Alert
🔒 Local

Food: 475 EUR / 500 EUR

Inline Widgets

Badge in widget header or footer:

Today's Schedule🔗 External

From Google Calendar

Forms

Privacy notice before submission:

Add New Transaction

🔒 This data stays on your device and is never shared.

Data Flow Transparency

Connection Indicators

Show when data syncs to external services:

Connected to Google Calendar
Syncing transactions (2 pending)
Bank connection offline

Permission Requests

Clear, contextual permission requests:

Connect to Google Calendar

Fidus needs access to read and write calendar events to manage your schedule.

  • ✓ View your calendar events
  • ✓ Create new events
  • ✓ Update existing events
  • ✗ Access to other Google services

Local vs. Cloud Processing

Users choose where AI processing happens:

AI Processing Location

Privacy Settings

Granular Control

Users control privacy at feature level:

Calendar Sync

Sync with Google Calendar

Budget Alerts

Proactive spending notifications

Cloud Backup

Encrypted backup to cloud

Data Export & Deletion

Users can export or delete all data at any time:

Trust-Building Patterns

1. Progressive Disclosure

  • Start with minimal permissions
  • Request additional access only when needed
  • Explain "why" before asking

2. Contextual Privacy Info

  • Show privacy details when relevant
  • Tooltip on privacy badges explaining details
  • Link to full privacy policy

3. Visual Indicators

  • Lock icon for encrypted data
  • Cloud icon for synced data
  • External link icon for third-party services

4. User Empowerment

  • Easy disconnect from services
  • One-click data export
  • Clear data deletion process

Multi-Tenancy Privacy

Each tenant (user) has complete data isolation:

Tenant Isolation Guarantees

  • Data is never shared between tenants
  • Each tenant has separate encryption keys
  • API requests are tenant-scoped
  • Database queries are tenant-filtered
  • No cross-tenant AI analysis

Implementation Guidelines

For Developers

  • Always include privacy badge on data-displaying components
  • Use appropriate badge type (Local, Cloud, External, AI)
  • Implement tenant-scoped queries in all APIs
  • Add permission checks before data access
  • Log all data access for audit trail
  • Support data export in machine-readable format

For Designers

  • Include privacy badge in mockups
  • Design permission requests with clear explanations
  • Show data flow visually when relevant
  • Make privacy settings easily discoverable
  • Use consistent iconography for privacy indicators

Key Takeaways

  • ✅ Every UI element shows privacy badge
  • ✅ Users choose local vs. cloud processing
  • ✅ Granular privacy controls per feature
  • ✅ Easy data export and deletion
  • ✅ Complete tenant data isolation
  • ✅ Progressive disclosure of permissions
  • ✅ Transparent data flow indicators