Is Privacy a Lost Cause?

Corbis image

Imagine yourself in a room with eyes on the walls - your every thought, action and move observed and scrutinized. I know it sounds creepy but that is sort of the world we live in nowadays.

With an increase in consumer tracking methods and GPS everywhere, privacy is really hard to come by these days.

Stats reveal that privacy is a top concern for consumers and something they strive for, yet the irony is that most consumers (me included) knowingly or unknowingly partake in things that make privacy a thing of the past. 

We buy products and services online, we download a million apps, we share our stories and pictures on social media, we sign up for grocery deliveries, we visit all kinds of websites, we research travel destinations, health issues, watch online shows, we wear or carry mobile devices that track our every move, our every step, and our given location. 

Google knows it all.

We’re generously feeding information into the digital world and by doing so, allowing others to “see us” and create profiles of who we are and what we’re all about. While there are pros and cons to all this, I can see how consumers may be skeptical about the possible misuse of information.

Nonetheless, all these eyes and ears on us, allow advertisers to collect massive amounts of data and therefore be able to personalize content and ads specifically geared to our needs and interests.

While I find this type of data useful as a marketing strategic planner - who devises communication strategies relevant to our target audience -  data is not everything.

Data is just numbers, data is cold, data by itself doesn’t motivate. Yes, data tells me that you’re looking for a new car, that you’re very active on Facebook, that you like sushi, that you want to renovate your home, or that your looking for natural cough remedies and what not. But what data doesn’t give us is CONTEXT.

Without human insight and context, data is meaningless.

I find it refreshing that Generation Z, who are digital natives, practice more caution with what they share or are willing to put out there. This is seen with the proliferation of more anonymous social media outlets like Snapchat and Whisper. 

Image by Mario Azzi

My eleven-year old Gen Z’er is sometimes apprehensive when I post pictures or videos of him on my Facebook account. When I asked him about it, his answer surprised me: “I don’t want people to judge me. One picture or video is not all of me. It’s just bits and pieces of who I am, so they are not really seeing all of me and all that I am.”  My jaw dropped to the floor and I realized he is definitely onto something.

So while in the online world, data is king, in my planning world, data with the right context rules.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Latina Entrepreneurs Are Taking the World by Storm

Image
Image by Seth Doyle I have to admit that for the majority of my working life, I have not given much thought to entrepreneurs given that I’ve always worked for good size companies that had everything in place and made it easy for me to just come in and do the work I needed to do. While I always appreciated what the founder (mostly women) had created, I didn’t give much thought into all the dreams, the effort, the long hours, and hard work that went into creating something out of nothing.   But being surrounded by successful Latina entrepreneurs that I am honored to call my friends, has given me a new perspective on what it means to pursue your dreams. As a Latina (and aspiring entrepreneur), let me tell you that NOW is a really good time to pursue your dreams and launch your own business.   Don’t believe me? Well check out these incredible, eye-opening, and inspiring facts:       Latinas in the U.S. are opening their own business at nearly 6 ti...
Read more

Christmas a lo Latino…a True Celebration of Diversity

Image
There is no better time to be a Latino in the U.S. than during the holidays. Oh my, the food, the drinks, the different customs, the singing, the parties, all overloading my senses and filling my stomach and soul.   Latino parties are big, loud and just keep going and going, sometimes until El Día de los Reyes Magos (The day of the Three Wise Men).   Having family and friends from all over Latin America means that most of my weekends during December are booked solid. Being part of different holiday traditions, rituals, and customs is a true celebration of Latin American diversity.    A Posada celebration one day, a Novena and villancicos the next, an Argentine asado with pan dulce another day, and a parranda Boricua style the next. In a span of just a few days, we go from a mix of Cumbia, Salsa, Tango, Bomba, Gaita, Plena, Son, Merengue and more…whoosh…no resting for us! While traditions vary from country to country, and even home-to-home, Christmas is t...
Read more

Brands Get Sentimental for Father’s Day, But Not for Hispanic Papi’s

Image
As of lately, I’ve noticed many advertisers going the sentimental route during holidays like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Now that Father’s Day has passed, many brands got emotional in English-language commercials but not in Spanish. Being a dad in today’s world is certainly different than it was a generation ago. Long gone are the days when dad was away from home most of the day, being the sole breadwinner and the disciplinarian in the family. Many of my dad friends come in all shapes and forms: single, divorced, gay, straight, stay-at-home dad and adoptive dads, and I admire them all. Each faced with their own set of challenges, yet moving forward at full speed and giving their kids the best.   From managing busy schedules, work, activities, while sharing housework chores and child-care duties, they have their hands full. And us mom’s, love them for that! Generally, when it comes to raising kids, most of the attention has gone to moms. But surprisingly, Father’s Day...
Read more