The Ethics Behind Data Collection and Privacy [Infographic]

Data collection is one of the most vital aspects of marketing and growing a business online. Cookies and tags are just a couple of the many different types of technology that companies can use to gather information on their users to inform business and marketing decisions. With the ability to track online behavior and store information about online users, there are many regulations that countries across the globe have implemented to ensure consumers have proper protection and privacy.

In Europe, ePrivacy Directive in collaboration with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) governs the user experience online and gives them many rights to their data. The right to be informed, right of access, right to object, and the right to erasure are only a few of the many different powers that users have when it comes to how and when their data is used. Similarly, in the United States, specific states like California, Colorado, and Virginia have unique legislations that grant rights to users related to the processing of their personal information.

Because of how strict the laws are surrounding data collection and privacy, there are many challenges that businesses face as a result. If too many users refuse to consent, businesses will struggle to gather enough information to make sufficient inferences about their behavior. On top of that, there are heavy fines for non-compliance with these regulations, showing how seriously these offenses are taken. For example, big name companies like Google, Amazon, TIM, and Windtre have racked up millions of dollars in fines due to violations such as unlawful marketing practices and failing to obtain proper consent from users.

Despite these restrictions, there is a three-pronged approach to lawfully collecting sufficient data through online measurement techniques. The most significant being the use of anonymous data collection technology without cookies. If businesses can collect data that does not reveal the identity or personal information of a user, the consent that is usually tedious to retrieve can be eliminated. Also, this suggests prompting a registration from users to promote a more voluntary sharing of information. Businesses, marketers, and consumers alike can feel comfortable with the new measurement methodology, as it allows for the harnessing of the true power of data in the most ethical way possible.