Who is this for?
The Trustable Technology Mark is used by companies that lead the way in trustworthy technology and respecting user rights. Startups and global tech companies alike are invited to apply for the Trustmark.
How much is it to apply for the Trustmark?
Applying for the Trustmark is free.
What is the Trustable Technology Mark, legally speaking?
The Trustable Technology Mark is a license granted for free to companies that fulfill certain conditions, notably that demonstrate a strong commitment to build exceptionally responsible technology, as well as a strong commitment to transparency. It is not an assessment of the product or technology itself, nor a third party audit, and as such it is not a certification in the legal sense, nor a market surveillance mechanism. In other words, we don’t assess the source code or hardware. We assess if the information provided by the applying company checks out, and ask the tough questions if necessary.
If you don't get paid for this, why do you do it? Where's the catch?
There is no catch. The Trustable Technology Mark is an initiative by ThingsCon, a non-profit that advocates for responsible IoT. We felt we’re in a better position than most to offer something in this space. Like ThingsCon, the Trustmark is mostly a labor of love and conviction. That said, the Mozilla Foundation provided some support in the form of a Mozilla Fellowship for project lead Peter Bihr.
What happens if a company fails to comply?
If we are notified of what seems to be a credible violation of the Trustmark rules, we first follow up with the company for clarification and offer a chance to remedy the situation. We believe that in most cases, we will encounter honest mistakes that can and will be addressed. That failing, we can and will revoke the Trustmark and make a public statement.
We are planning to also provide guidance for companies that struggle in one area or another with fulfilling the Trustmark requirements by building a collection of best practices, approaches that worked in one context or another, and in connecting teams that are looking for promising approaches to a specific issue with teams that have solved similar issues in their own context. The Trustmark certainly has an educational aspect that we hope will raise the overall bar.
How long does it take to get the Trustmark?
We review applications as quickly as we can. It might take a few days or, in particularly busy periods, a few weeks.
