diff --git a/privacy/classes/local/metadata/collection.php b/privacy/classes/local/metadata/collection.php
index f82a92d50ee..0e7668ede3f 100644
--- a/privacy/classes/local/metadata/collection.php
+++ b/privacy/classes/local/metadata/collection.php
@@ -86,12 +86,28 @@ class collection {
     /**
      * Function to link a subsystem to the component.
      *
-     * @param   string  $name the name of the subsystem to link.
-     * @param   string  $summary A description of what is stored within this subsystem.
+     * @param   string $name the name of the subsystem to link.
+     * @param   array $privacyfields An optional associative array of fieldname to description.
+     * @param   string $summary A description of what is stored within this subsystem.
+     * @return  $this
+     */
+    public function add_subsystem_link($name, array $privacyfields = [], $summary = '') {
+        $this->add_type(new types\subsystem_link($name, $privacyfields, $summary));
+
+        return $this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Old function to link a subsystem to the component.
+     *
+     * This function is legacy and is not recommended. Please use add_subsystem_link() instead.
+     *
+     * @param   string $name the name of the subsystem to link.
+     * @param   string $summary A description of what is stored within this subsystem.
      * @return  $this
      */
     public function link_subsystem($name, $summary = '') {
-        $this->add_type(new types\subsystem_link($name, $summary));
+        $this->add_type(new types\subsystem_link($name, [], $summary));
 
         return $this;
     }
@@ -100,11 +116,27 @@ class collection {
      * Function to link a plugin to the component.
      *
      * @param   string  $name the name of the plugin to link.
-     * @param   string  $summary A description of what tis stored within this plugin.
+     * @param   array $privacyfields An optional associative array of fieldname to description.
+     * @param   string  $summary A description of what is stored within this plugin.
+     * @return  $this
+     */
+    public function add_plugintype_link($name, array $privacyfields = [], $summary = '') {
+        $this->add_type(new types\plugintype_link($name, $privacyfields, $summary));
+
+        return $this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Old function to link a plugin to the component.
+     *
+     * This function is legacy and is not recommended. Please use add_plugintype_link() instead.
+     *
+     * @param   string  $name the name of the plugin to link.
+     * @param   string  $summary A description of what is stored within this plugin.
      * @return  $this
      */
     public function link_plugintype($name, $summary = '') {
-        $this->add_type(new types\plugintype_link($name, $summary));
+        $this->add_type(new types\plugintype_link($name, [], $summary));
 
         return $this;
     }
@@ -118,6 +150,23 @@ class collection {
      *                           within the component.
      * @return  $this
      */
+    public function add_external_location_link($name, array $privacyfields, $summary = '') {
+        $this->add_type(new types\external_location($name, $privacyfields, $summary));
+
+        return $this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Old function to indicate that data may be exported to an external location.
+     *
+     * This function is legacy and is not recommended. Please use add_external_location_link() instead.
+     *
+     * @param   string  $name A name for the type of data exported.
+     * @param   array   $privacyfields A list of fields with their description.
+     * @param   string  $summary A description of what the table is used for. This is a language string identifier
+     *                           within the component.
+     * @return  $this
+     */
     public function link_external_location($name, array $privacyfields, $summary = '') {
         $this->add_type(new types\external_location($name, $privacyfields, $summary));
 
diff --git a/privacy/classes/local/metadata/types/plugintype_link.php b/privacy/classes/local/metadata/types/plugintype_link.php
index 54b29cf3ee1..08e3b94c8cc 100644
--- a/privacy/classes/local/metadata/types/plugintype_link.php
+++ b/privacy/classes/local/metadata/types/plugintype_link.php
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ class plugintype_link implements type {
      */
     protected $name;
 
+    /**
+     * @var array The list of data names and descriptions.
+     */
+    protected $privacyfields;
+
     /**
      * @var string A description of what this plugintype is used to store.
      */
@@ -49,7 +54,7 @@ class plugintype_link implements type {
      * @param   string  $name The name of the plugintype to link.
      * @param   string  $summary A description of what is stored within this plugintype.
      */
-    public function __construct($name, $summary = '') {
+    public function __construct($name, $privacyfields = [], $summary = '') {
         if (debugging('', DEBUG_DEVELOPER)) {
             $teststring = clean_param($summary, PARAM_STRINGID);
             if ($teststring !== $summary) {
@@ -60,6 +65,7 @@ class plugintype_link implements type {
         }
 
         $this->name = $name;
+        $this->privacyfields = $privacyfields;
         $this->summary = $summary;
     }
 
@@ -78,7 +84,7 @@ class plugintype_link implements type {
      * @return  array
      */
     public function get_privacy_fields() : array {
-        return null;
+        return $this->privacyfields;
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/privacy/classes/local/metadata/types/subsystem_link.php b/privacy/classes/local/metadata/types/subsystem_link.php
index 88eedb57d2d..05e5a3a5fcb 100644
--- a/privacy/classes/local/metadata/types/subsystem_link.php
+++ b/privacy/classes/local/metadata/types/subsystem_link.php
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ class subsystem_link implements type {
      */
     protected $name;
 
+    /**
+     * @var array The list of data names and descriptions.
+     */
+    protected $privacyfields;
+
     /**
      * @var string A description of what this subsystem is used to store.
      */
@@ -47,9 +52,10 @@ class subsystem_link implements type {
      * Constructor for the subsystem_link.
      *
      * @param   string  $name The name of the subsystem to link.
+     * @param   array   $privacyfields An optional array of fields and their descriptions.
      * @param   string  $summary A description of what is stored within this subsystem.
      */
-    public function __construct($name, $summary = '') {
+    public function __construct($name, array $privacyfields = [], $summary = '') {
         if (debugging('', DEBUG_DEVELOPER)) {
             $teststring = clean_param($summary, PARAM_STRINGID);
             if ($teststring !== $summary) {
@@ -60,6 +66,7 @@ class subsystem_link implements type {
         }
 
         $this->name = $name;
+        $this->privacyfields = $privacyfields;
         $this->summary = $summary;
     }
 
@@ -78,7 +85,7 @@ class subsystem_link implements type {
      * @return  array
      */
     public function get_privacy_fields() : array {
-        return null;
+        return $this->privacyfields;
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/privacy/tests/collection_test.php b/privacy/tests/collection_test.php
index f8a324d7214..3835175c0aa 100644
--- a/privacy/tests/collection_test.php
+++ b/privacy/tests/collection_test.php
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ class core_privacy_metadata_collection extends advanced_testcase {
     public function test_add_type_known_type() {
         $collection = new collection('core_privacy');
 
-        $linked = new types\subsystem_link('example', 'langstring');
+        $linked = new types\subsystem_link('example', [], 'langstring');
         $collection->add_type($linked);
 
         $items = $collection->get_collection();
@@ -74,10 +74,10 @@ class core_privacy_metadata_collection extends advanced_testcase {
     public function test_add_type_multiple() {
         $collection = new collection('core_privacy');
 
-        $a = new types\subsystem_link('example', 'langstring');
+        $a = new types\subsystem_link('example', [], 'langstring');
         $collection->add_type($a);
 
-        $b = new types\subsystem_link('example', 'langstring');
+        $b = new types\subsystem_link('example', [], 'langstring');
         $collection->add_type($b);
 
         $items = $collection->get_collection();
diff --git a/privacy/tests/types_plugintype_link_test.php b/privacy/tests/types_plugintype_link_test.php
index fcb43bf21ad..82e30524895 100644
--- a/privacy/tests/types_plugintype_link_test.php
+++ b/privacy/tests/types_plugintype_link_test.php
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ class core_privacy_metadata_types_plugintype_link extends advanced_testcase {
      * @param   string  $name Name
      * @param   string  $summary Summary
      */
-    public function test_invalid_configs($name, $summary) {
-        $record = new plugintype_link($name, $summary);
+    public function test_invalid_configs($name, $privacyfields, $summary) {
+        $record = new plugintype_link($name, $privacyfields, $summary);
         $this->assertDebuggingCalled();
     }
 
@@ -56,12 +56,12 @@ class core_privacy_metadata_types_plugintype_link extends advanced_testcase {
      * @param   string  $name Name
      * @param   string  $summary Summary
      */
-    public function test_invalid_configs_debug_normal($name, $summary) {
+    public function test_invalid_configs_debug_normal($name, $privacyfields, $summary) {
         global $CFG;
         $this->resetAfterTest();
 
         $CFG->debug = DEBUG_NORMAL;
-        $record = new plugintype_link($name, $summary);
+        $record = new plugintype_link($name, $privacyfields, $summary);
         $this->assertDebuggingNotCalled();
     }
 
@@ -72,8 +72,8 @@ class core_privacy_metadata_types_plugintype_link extends advanced_testcase {
      * @param   string  $name Name
      * @param   string  $summary Summary
      */
-    public function test_valid_configs($name, $summary) {
-        $record = new plugintype_link($name, $summary);
+    public function test_valid_configs($name, $privacyfields, $summary) {
+        $record = new plugintype_link($name, $privacyfields, $summary);
         $this->assertDebuggingNotCalled();
     }
 
@@ -86,10 +86,12 @@ class core_privacy_metadata_types_plugintype_link extends advanced_testcase {
         return [
             'Space in summary' => [
                 'example',
+                [],
                 'This table is used for purposes.',
             ],
             'Comma in summary' => [
                 'example',
+                [],
                 'privacy,foo',
             ],
         ];
@@ -104,6 +106,7 @@ class core_privacy_metadata_types_plugintype_link extends advanced_testcase {
         return [
             'Valid combination' => [
                 'example',
+                [],
                 'privacy:example:valid',
             ],
         ];
diff --git a/privacy/tests/types_subsystem_link_test.php b/privacy/tests/types_subsystem_link_test.php
index 9a6438d70b9..780aa793a90 100644
--- a/privacy/tests/types_subsystem_link_test.php
+++ b/privacy/tests/types_subsystem_link_test.php
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ class core_privacy_metadata_types_subsystem_link extends advanced_testcase {
      * @param   string  $name Name
      * @param   string  $summary Summary
      */
-    public function test_invalid_configs($name, $summary) {
-        $record = new subsystem_link($name, $summary);
+    public function test_invalid_configs($name, $privacyfields, $summary) {
+        $record = new subsystem_link($name, $privacyfields, $summary);
         $this->assertDebuggingCalled();
     }
 
@@ -56,12 +56,12 @@ class core_privacy_metadata_types_subsystem_link extends advanced_testcase {
      * @param   string  $name Name
      * @param   string  $summary Summary
      */
-    public function test_invalid_configs_debug_normal($name, $summary) {
+    public function test_invalid_configs_debug_normal($name, $privacyfields, $summary) {
         global $CFG;
         $this->resetAfterTest();
 
         $CFG->debug = DEBUG_NORMAL;
-        $record = new subsystem_link($name, $summary);
+        $record = new subsystem_link($name, $privacyfields, $summary);
         $this->assertDebuggingNotCalled();
     }
 
@@ -72,8 +72,8 @@ class core_privacy_metadata_types_subsystem_link extends advanced_testcase {
      * @param   string  $name Name
      * @param   string  $summary Summary
      */
-    public function test_valid_configs($name, $summary) {
-        $record = new subsystem_link($name, $summary);
+    public function test_valid_configs($name, $privacyfields, $summary) {
+        $record = new subsystem_link($name, $privacyfields, $summary);
         $this->assertDebuggingNotCalled();
     }
 
@@ -86,10 +86,12 @@ class core_privacy_metadata_types_subsystem_link extends advanced_testcase {
         return [
             'Space in summary' => [
                 'example',
+                [],
                 'This table is used for purposes.',
             ],
             'Comma in summary' => [
                 'example',
+                [],
                 'privacy,foo',
             ],
         ];
@@ -104,6 +106,7 @@ class core_privacy_metadata_types_subsystem_link extends advanced_testcase {
         return [
             'Valid combination' => [
                 'example',
+                [],
                 'privacy:example:valid',
             ],
         ];