Data Privacy in the Era of Ethics

In marketing, we frequently ask ourselves "how much do we really know about our customers?" The answer is usually: not enough. The shift towards personalization of products and services means that companies aim to know as much about their customers as possible in order to tailor precisely to their needs. But, in the wake of privacy and data scandals causing a loss of trust, companies also need to start asking themselves "do our customers know how much we know?"

Before social media, it was hard to get demographic and psychographic data on each customer, so companies were left with only vague ideas about the behaviors and preferences of customers. However, with targeted ads, there is little we don't know about consumer web behavior.

As business owners, we have the responsibility of providing our customers with excellent care. And part of that is honesty, transparency, and understanding. If you choose to boost an ad on social media, for example, you need to be able to explain how you found a user's profile. If you collect a user's personal information, like name, age, and address, will you make it clear how you company intends to use it?

We created the infographic below to highlight some of the key aspects and technologies involved in web surveillance and internet privacy. Before deciding whether to run targeted ads, it is important to consider whether any ethical implications may impact your brand or your bottom line.

Internet privacy is not a clear cut issue. There are many big players involved and any actions taken may have implications for society as a whole. We recommend taking actions to find out what your customers prefer. If they dislike targeted ads, do not enable cookies on your site. If you need to collect personal data, ie. for shipping purposes, make sure you keep data safe and secure from third parties or hackers.

The decision to run targeted ads or interact with customers online can be a tricky one. On one hand, it may benefit your business to interact only with target customers. However, you may also lose consumer trust and goodwill if there are any mistakes made on your part or the platform you use. Before rushing to any decisions, carefully consider the needs of your customers and your stakeholders.