Make the decision

A contact download can contain different information from the page surrounding it. Treat the downloadable file as its own publication. Inspect the name, organisation, job title, phone numbers, addresses, website and notes. Decide whether each field belongs in a stranger’s address book. Avoid adding marketing claims to a notes field that the recipient expects to contain contact details. Keep the file useful for recognition and a sensible next conversation.

Put it into practice

Run a test on a spare contact record, not your main address book. Download the file, preview the proposed fields, and check the saved result. Different contact applications can display information differently, so test the devices your audience commonly uses. Remove the test record afterwards. If the file has changed, explain that previously downloaded copies may still contain old details; updating a web profile does not reliably update everyone’s saved contacts.

Imagine this

Hypothetical example

A founder removes a home address from a public page but notices it remains in the contact download. The team regenerates the file, tests it on two phones, and updates the source record. The next download contains only the business routes intended for public use.

Make it practical.

Use this checklist as you read. Checks are not stored.

References & further reading

Further reading: ICO: Data minimisation ↗

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