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  • Publier sur MédiaSpip

    13 juin 2013

    Puis-je poster des contenus à partir d’une tablette Ipad ?
    Oui, si votre Médiaspip installé est à la version 0.2 ou supérieure. Contacter au besoin l’administrateur de votre MédiaSpip pour le savoir

  • XMP PHP

    13 mai 2011, par

    Dixit Wikipedia, XMP signifie :
    Extensible Metadata Platform ou XMP est un format de métadonnées basé sur XML utilisé dans les applications PDF, de photographie et de graphisme. Il a été lancé par Adobe Systems en avril 2001 en étant intégré à la version 5.0 d’Adobe Acrobat.
    Étant basé sur XML, il gère un ensemble de tags dynamiques pour l’utilisation dans le cadre du Web sémantique.
    XMP permet d’enregistrer sous forme d’un document XML des informations relatives à un fichier : titre, auteur, historique (...)

  • Organiser par catégorie

    17 mai 2013, par

    Dans MédiaSPIP, une rubrique a 2 noms : catégorie et rubrique.
    Les différents documents stockés dans MédiaSPIP peuvent être rangés dans différentes catégories. On peut créer une catégorie en cliquant sur "publier une catégorie" dans le menu publier en haut à droite ( après authentification ). Une catégorie peut être rangée dans une autre catégorie aussi ce qui fait qu’on peut construire une arborescence de catégories.
    Lors de la publication prochaine d’un document, la nouvelle catégorie créée sera proposée (...)

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  • A Primer to Ethical Marketing : How to Build Trust in a Privacy-First World

    11 mars, par Alex Carmona — Marketing, Privacy, ethical marketing

    Imagine a marketing landscape where transparency replaces tactics, where consumer privacy is prioritised over exploitation, and where authentic value builds genuine relationships.

    This isn’t just an ideal—it’s the future of marketing. And it starts with ethical marketing practices.

    76% of consumers refuse to buy from companies they do not trust with their data. Ethical marketing has become essential for business survival. As privacy regulations tighten and third-party cookies phase out, marketers face a critical question : how can they balance effective, personalised campaigns whilst respecting privacy ?

    This comprehensive guide explores what ethical marketing is, the key principles behind ethical marketing practices, and practical strategies to implement an ethical approach that builds trust while driving growth.

    What is ethical marketing ? A comprehensive definition

    Ethical marketing places respect for consumer boundaries at its core whilst delivering genuine value. It prioritises transparent practices, honest communication, and fair value exchange with consumers. This approach represents a significant shift from traditional marketing, which often relied on collecting vast amounts of user data through invasive tracking methods and obscure policies.

    The modern approach to ethical marketing creates a foundation built on three key pillars :

    • User Control : Giving people genuine choice and agency over their data
    • Fair Value : Providing clear benefits in exchange for any data shared
    • Transparency : Being honest about how data is collected, used, and protected
    ethical marketing guide ad

    Key principles of ethical marketing

    Transparency

    Transparency means being clear and forthright about your marketing practices, data collection policies, and business operations. It involves :

    • Using plain language to explain how you collect and use customer data
    • Being upfront about pricing, product limitations, and terms of service
    • Disclosing sponsored content and affiliate relationships
    • Making privacy policies accessible and understandable

    When Matomo surveyed 2,000 consumers, 81% said they believe an organisation’s data practices reflect their overall treatment of customers. Transparency isn’t just about compliance—it’s about demonstrating respect.

    Honesty

    While similar to transparency, honesty focuses specifically on truthfulness in communications :

    • Avoiding misleading claims or exaggerations about products and services
    • Not manipulating statistics or research findings to support marketing narratives
    • Representing products accurately in advertisements and marketing materials
    • Acknowledging mistakes and taking responsibility when things go wrong

    Social responsibility

    Ethical marketing requires consideration of a brand’s impact on society as a whole :

    • Considering environmental impacts of marketing campaigns and business practices
    • Promoting diversity and inclusion in marketing representations
    • Supporting social causes authentically rather than through “purpose-washing”
    • Ensuring marketing activities don’t promote harmful stereotypes or behaviours

    Ethical marketing dilemmas : Navigating complex business decisions

    Data privacy concerns

    The digital marketing landscape has been transformed by increasing awareness of data privacy issues and stricter regulations like GDPR, CCPA, and upcoming legislation. Key challenges include :

    • The phase-out of third-party cookies, impacting targeting and measurement
    • Growing consumer resistance to invasive tracking technologies
    • Balancing personalisation with privacy (71% of consumers expect personalised experiences, yet demand privacy)
    • Ensuring compliance across different jurisdictional requirements

    Cultural sensitivity

    Global brands must navigate complex cultural landscapes :

    • Avoiding cultural appropriation in marketing campaigns
    • Understanding varied cultural expectations around privacy
    • Respecting local customs and values in international marketing
    • Adapting messaging appropriately for diverse audiences

    Environmental sustainability

    The environmental impact of marketing activities is under increasing scrutiny :

    • Digital carbon footprints from ad serving and website hosting
    • Waste generated from physical marketing materials
    • Promoting sustainable products honestly without greenwashing
    • Aligning marketing messages with actual business practices

    The benefits of ethical marketing

    For years, digital marketing has relied on third-party data collection and broad-scale tracking. However, new regulations such as GDPR, CCPA, and the end of third-party cookies are pushing brands to adopt ethical data practices.

    Increased customer loyalty

    Ethical marketing fosters deeper relationships with customers by building trust. Research consistently shows that consumers are more loyal to brands they trust, with 71% indicating they would stop buying from a brand if trust is broken.

    These trust-based relationships are more resilient during business challenges. When customers believe in a company’s integrity, they’re more likely to give the benefit of the doubt during controversies or service issues. They’re also more likely to provide constructive feedback rather than simply leaving for competitors.

    Perhaps most importantly, loyal customers become advocates, sharing positive experiences with others and defending the brand against criticism. This organic advocacy is far more powerful than paid promotions and reduces customer acquisition costs significantly over time.

    Enhanced brand reputation

    A strong ethical stance improves overall brand perception across multiple dimensions. Media outlets are increasingly focused on corporate behaviour, providing positive coverage for ethical practices that extends a brand’s reach organically.

    Social conversations about ethical brands tend to be more positive, with consumers sharing experiences and values rather than just discussing products. This creates a halo effect that benefits all aspects of the business.

    This enhanced reputation also provides resilience during public relations challenges. Organisations with strong ethical foundations find it easier to navigate controversies because they’ve built a reservoir of goodwill with customers, employees, and other stakeholders.

    Competitive advantage

    Ethical marketing provides several distinct competitive advantages in modern markets. It helps brands access privacy-conscious consumer segments that actively avoid companies with questionable data practices. These segments often include higher-income, educated consumers who are valuable long-term customers.

    Ethical approaches also reduce vulnerability to regulatory changes and potential penalties. As privacy laws continue to evolve globally, organisations with strong ethical foundations find compliance easier and less disruptive than those scrambling to meet minimum requirements.

    Perhaps most significantly, ethical marketing supports more sustainable growth trajectories. While manipulative tactics might drive short-term results, they typically lead to higher churn rates and increasing acquisition costs. Ethical approaches build foundations for long-term success and stable growth.

    For a detailed roadmap, download the Ethical Marketing Guide.

    Case studies : Ethical marketing in action

    Patagonia : Purpose-driven marketing

    Patagonia integrates sustainability into its marketing, reinforcing its commitment to ethical business practices. By aligning with social causes, the brand strengthens customer loyalty.

    Apple : Privacy as a competitive advantage

    Apple positions itself as a leader in consumer privacy, ensuring data protection remains central to its marketing strategy. This commitment has become a key differentiator in the tech industry.

    Matomo : The ethical analytics tool

    Matomo offers privacy-first analytics that prioritise data ownership and compliance. Businesses using Matomo benefit from accurate insights while respecting user privacy.

    These companies demonstrate that ethical marketing is not just a compliance requirement—it is a long-term competitive advantage.

    Strategies for implementing ethical marketing

    Aligning marketing efforts with brand values

    Consistency between values and actions is essential for ethical marketing. This alignment starts with a clear understanding of what your organisation truly stands for—not just aspirational statements, but genuine commitments that inform daily decisions.

    Implementing this alignment requires cross-functional collaboration. Marketing teams need to work closely with product development, customer service, and leadership to ensure consistency across all touchpoints. When different departments send contradictory messages about company values, trust erodes quickly.

    Clear guidelines help marketing teams apply values in practical decisions, from campaign concepts to media placements. Regular ethical reviews of marketing plans can identify potential issues before campaigns launch, avoiding reactive corrections that damage credibility.

    Privacy-first data strategies

    Developing robust approaches to customer data is fundamental to ethical marketing. This starts with prioritising first-party data (collected directly from your own channels) and zero-party data (actively shared by customers through preference centres, surveys, and similar mechanisms).

    Measuring success doesn’t have to come at the expense of privacy. Ethical analytics provide accurate insights while protecting user data, ensuring compliance, and enhancing customer trust.

    Ethical personalisation approaches focus on using aggregated or anonymised data rather than individual tracking. This allows for relevant experiences without the invasive feeling that erodes trust when consumers feel watched across the internet.

    Most importantly, ethical data strategies create transparent value exchanges where users clearly understand what benefits they receive in return for sharing information. This reciprocity transforms data collection from exploitation to fair exchange.

    Measuring success ethically

    Traditional marketing measurement often relies on individual-level tracking across sites and platforms. Ethical approaches require adapting these frameworks to respect privacy while still demonstrating impact.

    Focusing on aggregate patterns rather than individual behaviour provides valuable insights without privacy invasions. For example, understanding that 30% of visitors to a specific page subsequently make purchases is actionable intelligence that doesn’t require tracking specific people.

    Incrementality testing measures campaign impact by comparing outcomes between exposed and control groups at an aggregate level. This provides more accurate attribution than traditional last-click models while respecting privacy boundaries.

    Server-side conversion tracking offers another ethical measurement approach, collecting necessary data on your servers rather than through client-side scripts vulnerable to blocking. This improves data accuracy while reducing reliance on cookies and browser storage.

    Implementing ethical marketing strategies : A practical framework

    1. Align marketing with brand values – Ensure campaigns reflect transparency and trust

    2. Leverage first-party data – Collect insights directly from consumers with clear consent

    3. Respect privacy and consent – Give users control over their data and clearly communicate its use

    4. Create value-driven content – Offer educational and relevant resources instead of relying solely on advertising

    5. Use privacy-compliant analytics – Switch to ethical platforms such as Matomo for responsible performance measurement

    For a step-by-step guide to implementing ethical marketing strategies, download the full report here.

    five step ethical marketing framework diagram

    The future of ethical marketing

    With the decline of third-party cookies and the rise of privacy regulations, ethical marketing is no longer optional. Brands that adopt privacy-first practices now will gain a sustainable competitive edge in the long term. The future of marketing belongs to brands that earn consumer trust, not those that exploit it.

    Key trends shaping the future of marketing include :

    • Privacy-first analytics to replace invasive tracking
    • First-party and zero-party data strategies for direct consumer engagement
    • Consent-driven personalisation to balance relevance and privacy
    • Greater emphasis on corporate social responsibility in marketing initiatives

    Companies that proactively address these changes will build stronger customer relationships, enhance brand reputation, and ensure long-term success.

    Take the next step

    Ready to transform your marketing approach for 2025 and beyond ?

    Download Matomo’s comprehensive “2025 Ethical Marketing Field Guide” to get practical frameworks, implementation strategies, and real-world case studies that will help you build trust while driving growth.

    With detailed guidance on first-party data activation, consent-based personalisation techniques, and privacy-preserving analytics methods, this guide provides everything you need to future-proof your marketing strategy in a privacy-first world.

    ethical marketing guide ad

    Download the ethical marketing guide now to start building stronger, more trusted relationships with your customers through ethical marketing practices.

  • Google Analytics Privacy Issues : Is It Really That Bad ?

    2 juin 2022, par Erin

    If you find yourself asking : “What’s the deal with Google Analytics privacy ?”, you probably have some second thoughts. 

    Your hunch is right. Google Analytics (GA) is a popular web analytics tool, but it’s far from being perfect when it comes to respecting users’ privacy. 

    This post helps you understand tremendous Google Analytics privacy concerns users, consumers and regulators expressed over the years.

    In this blog, we’ll cover :

    What Does Google Analytics Collect About Users ? 

    To understand Google Analytics privacy issues, you need to know how Google treats web users’ data. 

    By default, Google Analytics collects the following information : 

    • Session statistics — duration, page(s) viewed, etc. 
    • Referring website details — a link you came through or keyword used. 
    • Approximate geolocation — country, city. 
    • Browser and device information — mobile vs desktop, OS usage, etc. 

    Google obtains web analytics data about users via two means : an on-site Google Analytics tracking code and cookies.

    A cookie is a unique identifier (ID) assigned to each user visiting a web property. Each cookie stores two data items : unique user ID and website name. 

    With the help of cookies, web analytics solutions can recognise returning visitors and track their actions across the website(s).

    First-party vs third-party cookies
    • First party cookies are generated by one website and collect user behaviour data from said website only. 
    • Third-party cookies are generated by a third-party website object (for example, an ad) and can track user behaviour data across multiple websites. 

    As it’s easy to imagine, third-party cookies are a goldmine for companies selling online ads. Essentially, they allow ad platforms to continue watching how the user navigates the web after clicking a certain link. 

    Yet, people have little clue as to which data they are sharing and how it is being used. Also, user consent to tracking across websites is only marginally guaranteed by existing Google Analytics controls. 

    Why Third-Party Cookie Data Collection By GA Is Problematic 

    Cookies can transmit personally identifiable information (PII) such as name, log in details, IP address, saved payment method and so on. Some of these details can end up with advertisers without consumers’ direct knowledge or consent.

    Regulatory frameworks such as General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) emerged as a response to uncontrolled user behaviour tracking.

    Under regulatory pressure, Big Tech companies had to adapt their data collection process.

    Apple was the first to implement by-default third-party blocking in the Safari browser. Then added a tracking consent mechanism for iPhone users starting from iOS 15.2 and later. 

    Google, too, said it would drop third-party cookie usage after The European Commission and UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched antitrust investigations into its activity. 

    To shake off the data watchdogs, Google released a Privacy Sandbox — a set of progressive tech, operational and compliance changes for ensuring greater consumer privacy. 

    Google’s biggest promise : deprecate third-party cookies usage for all web and mobile products. 

    Originally, Google promised to drop third-party cookies by 2022, but that didn’t happen. Instead, Google delayed cookie tracking depreciation for Chrome until the second half of 2023

    Why did they push back on this despite hefty fines from regulators ?

    Because online ads make Google a lot of money.

    In 2021, Alphabet Inc (parent company of Google), made $256.7 billion in revenue, of which $209.49 billion came from selling advertising. 

    Lax Google Analytics privacy enforcement — and its wide usage by website owners — help Google make those billions from collecting and selling user data. 

    How Google Uses Collected Google Analytics Data for Advertising 

    Over 28 million websites (or roughly 85% of the Internet) have Google Analytics tracking codes installed. 

    Even if one day we get a Google Analytics version without cookies, it still won’t address all the privacy concerns regulators and consumers have. 

    Over the years, Google has accumulated an extensive collection of user data. The company’s engineers used it to build state-of-the-art deep learning models, now employed to build advanced user profiles. 

    Deep learning is the process of training a machine to recognise data patterns. Then this “knowledge” is used to produce highly-accurate predictive insights. The more data you have for model training — the better its future accuracy will be. 

    Google has amassed huge deposits of data from its collection of products — GA, YouTube, Gmail, Google Docs and Google Maps among others. Now they are using this data to build a third-party cookies-less alternative mechanism for modelling people’s preferences, habits, lifestyles, etc. 

    Their latest model is called Google Topics. 

    This comes only after Google’s failed attempt to replace cookie-based training with Federated Learning of Cohorts (FLoC) model. But the solution wasn’t offering enough user transparency and user controls among other issues.

    Google Topics
    Source : Google Blog

    Google Topics promises to limit the granularity of data advertisers get about users. 

    But it’s still a web user surveillance method. With Google Topics, the company will continue collecting user data via Chrome (and likely other Google products) — and share it with advertisers. 

    Because as we said before : Google is in the business of profiting off consumers’ data. 

    Two Major Ways Google Takes Advantage of Customer Data

    Every bit of data Google collects across its ecosystem of products can be used in two ways :

    • For ad targeting and personalisation 
    • To improve Google’s products 

    The latter also helps the former. 

    Advanced Ad Personalisation and Targeting

    GA provides the company with ample data on users’ 

    • Recent and frequent searches 
    • Location history
    • Visited websites
    • Used apps 
    • Videos and ads viewed 
    • Personal data like age or gender 

    The company’s privacy policy explicitly states that :

    Google Analytics Privacy Policy
    Source : Google

    Google also admits to using collected data to “measure the effectiveness of advertising” and “personalise content and ads you see on Google.” 

    But there are no further elaborations on how exactly customers’ data is used — and what you can do to prevent it from being shared with third parties. 

    In some cases, Google also “forgets” to inform users about its in-product tracking.

    Journalists from CNBC and The New York Times independently concluded that Google monitors users’ Gmail activity. In particular, the company scans your inbox for recent purchases, trips, flights and bills notifications. 

    While Google says that this information isn’t sold to advertisers (directly), they still may use the “saved information about your orders in other Google services”. 

    Once again, this means you have little control or knowledge of subsequent data usage. 

    Improving Product Usability 

    Google has many “arms” to collect different data points — from user’s search history to frequently-travelled physical routes. 

    They also reserve the right to use these insights for improving existing products. 

    Here’s what it means : by combining different types of data points obtained from various products, Google can pierce a detailed picture of a person’s life. Even if such user profile data is anonymised, it is still alarmingly accurate. 

    Douglas Schmidt, a computer science researcher at Vanderbilt University, well summarised the matter : 

    “[Google’s] business model is to collect as much data about you as possible and cross-correlate it so they can try to link your online persona with your offline persona. This tracking is just absolutely essential to their business. ‘Surveillance capitalism’ is a perfect phrase for it.”

    Google Data Collection Obsession Is Backed Into Its Business Model 

    OK, but Google offers some privacy controls to users ? Yes. Google only sees and uses the information you voluntarily enter or permit them to access. 

    But as the Washington Post correspondent points out :

    “[Big Tech] companies get to set all the rules, as long as they run those rules by consumers in convoluted terms of service that even those capable of decoding the legalistic language rarely bother to read. Other mechanisms for notice and consent, such as opt-outs and opt-ins, create similar problems. Control for the consumer is mostly an illusion.”

    Google openly claims to be “one of many ad networks that personalise ads based on your activity online”. 

    The wrinkle is that they have more data than all other advertising networks (arguably combined). This helps Google sell high-precision targeting and contextually personalised ads for billions of dollars annually.

    Given that Google has stakes in so many products — it’s really hard to de-Google your business and minimise tracking and data collection from the company.

    They are also creating a monopoly on data collection and ownership. This fact makes regulators concerned. The 2021 antitrust lawsuit from the European Commission says : 

    “The formal investigation will notably examine whether Google is distorting competition by restricting access by third parties to user data for advertising purposes on websites and apps while reserving such data for its own use.”

    In other words : By using consumer data to its unfair advantage, Google allegedly shuts off competition.

    But that’s not the only matter worrying regulators and consumers alike. Over the years, Google also received numerous other lawsuits for breaching people’s privacy, over and over again. 

    Here’s a timeline : 

    Separately, Google has a very complex history with GDPR compliance

    How Google Analytics Contributes to the Web Privacy Problem 

    Google Analytics is the key puzzle piece that supports Google’s data-driven business model. 

    If Google was to release a privacy-focused Google Analytics alternative, it’d lose access to valuable web users’ data and a big portion of digital ad revenues. 

    Remember : Google collects more data than it shares with web analytics users and advertisers. But they keep a lot of it for personal usage — and keep looking for ways to share this intel with advertisers (in a way that keeps regulators off their tail).

    For Google Analytics to become truly ethical and privacy-focused, Google would need to change their entire revenue model — which is something they are unlikely to do.

    Where does this leave Google Analytics users ? 

    In a slippery territory. By proxy, companies using GA are complicit with Google’s shady data collection and usage practice. They become part of the problem.

    In fact, Google Analytics usage opens a business to two types of risks : 

    • Reputational. 77% of global consumers say that transparency around how data is collected and used is important to them when interacting with different brands. That’s why data breaches and data misuse by brands lead to major public outrages on social media and boycotts in some cases. 
    • Legal. EU regulators are on a continuous crusade against Google Analytics 4 (GA4) as it is in breach of GDPR. French and Austrian watchdogs ruled the “service” illegal. Since Google Analytics is not GDPR compliant, it opens any business using it to lawsuits (which is already happening).

    But there’s a way out.

    Choose a Privacy-Friendly Google Analytics Alternative 

    Google Analytics is a popular web analytics service, but not the only one available. You have alternatives such as Matomo. 

    Our guiding principle is : respecting privacy.

    Unlike Google Analytics, we leave data ownership 100% in users’ hands. Matomo lets you implement privacy-centred controls for user data collection.

    Plus, you can self-host Matomo On-Premise or choose Matomo Cloud with data securely stored in the EU and in compliance with GDPR.

    The best part ? You can try our ethical alternative to Google Analytics for free. No credit card required ! Start your free 21-day trial now

  • Privacy in Business : What Is It and Why Is It Important ?

    13 juillet 2022, par Erin — Privacy

    Privacy concerns loom large among consumers. Yet, businesses remain reluctant to change the old ways of doing things until they become an operational nuisance. 

    More and more businesses are slowly starting to feel the pressure to incorporate privacy best practices. But what exactly does privacy mean in business ? And why is it important for businesses to protect users’ privacy ? 

    In this blog, we’ll answer all of these questions and more. 

    What is Privacy in Business ?

    In the corporate world, privacy stands for the business decision to use collected consumer data in a safe, secure and compliant way. 

    Companies with a privacy-centred culture : 

    • Get explicit user consent to tracking, opt-ins and data sharing 
    • Collect strictly necessary data in compliance with regulations 
    • Ask for permissions to collect, process and store sensitive data 
    • Provide transparent explanations about data operationalisation and usage 
    • Have mechanisms for data collection opt-outs and data removal requests 
    • Implement security controls for storing collected data and limit access permissions to it 

    In other words : They treat consumers’ data with utmost integrity and security – and provide reassurances of ethical data usage. 

    What Are the Ethical Business Issues Related to Privacy ?

    Consumer data analytics has been around for decades. But digital technologies – ubiquitous connectivity, social media networks, data science and machine learning – increased the magnitude and sophistication of customer profiling.

    Big Tech companies like Google and Facebook, among others, capture millions of data points about users. These include general demographics data like “age” or “gender”, as well as more granular insights such as “income”, “past browsing history” or “recently visited geo-locations”. 

    When combined, such personally identifiable information (PII) can be used to approximate the user’s exact address, frequently purchased goods, political beliefs or past medical conditions. Then such information is shared with third parties such as advertisers. 

    That’s when ethical issues arise. 

    The Cambridge Analytica data scandal is a prime example of consumer data that was unethically exploited. 

    Over the years, Google also faced a series of regulatory issues surrounding consumer privacy breaches :

    • In 2021, a Google Chrome browser update put some 2.6 billion users at risk of “surveillance, manipulation and abuse” by providing third parties with data on device usage. 
    • The same year, Google was taken to court for failing to provide full disclosures on tracking performed in Google Chrome incognito mode. A $5 billion lawsuit is still pending.
    • As of 2022, Google Analytics 4 is considered GDPR non-compliant and was branded “illegal” by several European countries. 

    If you are curious, learn more about Google Analytics privacy issues

    The bigger issue ? Big Tech companies make the businesses that use their technologies (unknowingly) complicit in consumer data violations.

    In 2022, the Belgian data regulator found the official IAB Europe framework for user consent gathering in breach of GDPR. The framework was used by all major AdTech platforms to issue pop-ups for user consent to tracking. Now ad platforms must delete all data gathered through these. Biggest advertisers such as Procter & Gamble, Unilever, IBM and Mastercard among others, also received a notice about data removal and a regulatory warning on further repercussions if they fail to comply. 

    Big Tech firms have given brands unprecedented access to granular consumer data. Unrestricted access, however, also opened the door to data abuse and unethical use. 

    Examples of Unethical Data Usage by Businesses 

    • Data hoarding means excessively harvesting all available consumer data because a possibility to do so exists, often using murky consent mechanisms. Yet, 85% of collected Big Data is either dark or redundant, obsolete or trivial (ROT).
    • Invasive personalisation based on sensitive user information (or second-guesses), like a recent US marketing campaign, congratulating women on pregnancy (even if they weren’t expecting). Overall, 75% of consumers find most forms of personalisation somewhat creepy. 22% also said they’d leave for another brand due to creepy experiences.
    • Hyper-targeted advertising campaigns based on data consumers would prefer not to share. A recent investigation found that advertising platforms often assign sensitive labels to users (as part of their ad profiles), indicative of their religion, mental issues, history with abuse and so on. This allows advertisers to target such consumers with dubious ads. 

    Ultimately, excessive data collection, paired with poor data protection in business settings, results in major data breaches and costly damage control. Given that cyber attacks are on the rise, every business is vulnerable. 

    Why Should a Business Be Concerned About Protecting the Privacy of Its Customers ?

    Businesses must prioritise customer privacy because that’s what is expected of them. Globally, 89% of consumers say they care about their privacy. 

    As frequent stories about unethical data usage, excessive tracking and data breaches surface online, even more grow more concerned about protecting their data. Many publicly urge companies to take action. Others curtail their relationships with brands privately. 

    On average, 45% of consumers feel uncomfortable about sharing personal data. According to KPMG, 78% of American consumers have fears about the amount of data being collected. 40% of them also don’t trust companies to use their data ethically. Among Europeans, 41% are unwilling to share any personal data with businesses. 

    Because the demand for online privacy is rising, progressive companies now treat privacy as a competitive advantage. 

    For example, the encrypted messaging app Signal gained over 42 million active users in a year because it offers better data security and privacy protection. 

    ProtonMail, a privacy-centred email client, also amassed a 50 million user base in several years thanks to a “fundamentally stronger definition of privacy”.

    The growth of privacy-mindful businesses speaks volumes. And even more good things happen to privacy-mindful businesses : 

    • Higher consumer trust and loyalty 
    • Improved attractiveness to investors
    • Less complex compliance
    • Minimum cybersecurity exposure 
    • Better agility and innovation

    It’s time to start pursuing them ! Learn how to embed privacy and security into your operations.