Data Minimization

How are you thinking about digital privacy?

In the digital marketing industry we often think of privacy from a strict perspective of opt-out vs opt-in and in many cases optimize to maximize the opt-in scenario. Logically this makes sense as we want to keep the eventual reduction of the pool of potential end customers to advertise to a minimum.

That being said how much have you considered what those opt ins actually look like? That’s where data minimization comes into practice.

What is Data Minimization?

In summary, Data Minimization is the practice of only stored exactly what you need for a specific purpose. It’s the next evolution in our ever changing privacy landscape. The first step is ensuring that we understand what is being used, why and allowing users to choose if they are in and out. The next stage is defining exactly what you need in your specific use case.

Think about it like you’re shopping at the grocery store. Step one was ingredient labels wherein every product you buy is regulated to tell you exactly what goes in it. Step two is specific regulation in particular industries, certain foods are graded and ingredients are banned or limited in use.

Why does this matter?

Your customers (potential and current) are what keeps your business running. It’s critical to do right by them and understand what they view as acceptable or not. Give them the power to decide by respecting them enough to provide them with the information you use and why. We don’t need to hide in the dark.

A Challenge for You

I challenge you to go ask someone you know who isn’t familiar with your work in the digital marketing industry and let them know how their information is sold, aggregated and used for the purposes of profiling and selling products and services to them and see how they react. That reaction isn’t what you want on a mass scale in your customer base.

Ensure you’re ahead of the privacy curve. Not behind it.

• Tags:
• Privacy
• Future
• Advertising