Sustainable Substitutes for OneTrust

A privacy and compliance solution embedded in the Big Tech ecosystem.

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Reasons to avoid OneTrust

OneTrust, while positioning itself as a solution for privacy and compliance, is deeply embedded in the Big Tech ecosystem and has demonstrated concerning labour practices and a lack of transparency. Its servers are hosted by US companies, meaning visitors to websites with OneTrust compliance widgets embedded may have their data transferred to US authorities under the CLOUD Act.

Choose a more ethical, transparent, and privacy-friendly alternative for your privacy and compliance needs.

Ethical and Sustainable OneTrust Alternatives

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  • Feasibility: How easily can the average user switch to this substitute? Higher feasibility results in a higher ranking.
  • Editor's Rating: How sustainable is the substitute? The more sustainability attributes it fulfils, the higher it is ranked.

Complianz

A WordPress or Shopify plugin for self-hosted cookie consent management.

Complianz is a consent management platform developed in the Netherlands.
Complianz itself does not serve ads; it is designed to manage user consent for cookies and tracking, ensuring compliance with privacy laws.
Complianz is built to ensure compliance with GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy regulations, offering features like region-based consent models (opt-in for EU, opt-out for US states) and cookie blocking until consent is granted. The tool is self-hosted and avoids connections to third-party servers.
Complianz offers a free version for basic use, though advanced features require a premium subscription.
Complianz runs directly on your WordPress or Shopify site, so it is self-hostable and does not require external servers for its core functionality
Complianz provides a library of over 250 pre-built integrations for popular services (e.g., Google Maps, Facebook, YouTube), allowing modular blocking and consent management.
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Borlabs Cookie

A WordPress Plugin for self-hosted cookie consent management.

Website

The 4 main issues with OneTrust

Privacy Concerns - User data is likely to be stored and used against users' best interest.

Its servers are hosted by US companies, meaning visitors to websites with OneTrust compliance widgets embedded may have their data transferred to US authorities under the CLOUD Act. Source: Wikipedia: Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data Act (CLOUD Act)

Reliance on Big Tech - Services relying on Big Tech for their infrastructure.

OneTrust is a major player in the privacy and compliance industry, with significant funding rounds and a valuation reaching billions. Its rapid growth and integration into the corporate ecosystem — including acquisitions like Planetly and Convercent — position it as part of the Big Tech landscape, serving and enabling large corporations, including those in Big Tech itself. Source: TechCrunch: OneTrust hauls in another $150M on a $4.5B down round valuation (2023)Tech.eu: Berlin’s Planetly acquired by US-based OneTrust (2021)WIRED: Big Tech Ditched Trust and Safety. Now Startups Are Selling It Back As a Service (2023)

Exploitative Labour Practices - Poor working conditions and low wages for workers involved in production or services.

OneTrust faced legal backlash after mass firings, with former employees reporting that their line managers were not informed of dismissals. Emails sent to employees were titled “performance review” or “feedback meeting,” but provided no further details, raising concerns about transparency and fairness in labor practices. Source: WIRED: Privacy unicorn OneTrust faces legal backlash after mass firings (2020)

Lack of Transparency - Opacity in operations, data handling, or supply chains, making it difficult for users to understand practices.

The company’s handling of staff cuts, including the use of misleading email titles and the lack of communication with managers, demonstrates a lack of transparency in its internal operations. Source: WIRED: Privacy unicorn OneTrust faces legal backlash after mass firings (2020)

Suggestions and Feedback

If you have suggestions for more alternatives or general feedback, please contact me via email or create an issue over on Codeberg. Suggest Substitute on Codeberg Write an Email