Although it’s not legally required, many websites in the US have started using cookie banners in a misguided attempt to protect themselves from lawyers who smell blood in the water.
Regulators have made it clear that they have their eye on how data flows between first parties and their partners – and that first parties are responsible for what happens when the data they collect is shared with others.
People do seem rather willing to give up a lot of information about themselves – including biometric data – without considering the consequences. Consider the case of Panera Bread and its loyalty program.
Sharing enough detail without being overwhelming is a difficult balance to strike, and there’s no perfect answer. But one thing is for certain: Privacy platitudes are for hacks or for those with something to hide.
In a world where people casually toss around the term “surveillance advertising” and Congress is pushing for a national privacy law, has the clock run out on self-regulation?
So, I tried using AdChoices to opt out of seeing an ad. But the experience didn’t go very well, to say the least.
I’ve heard people say that there’s a Simpsons reference for every occasion. I posit that the same could be said of “South Park.” There’s an episode from 2011 that perfectly encapsulates the debate about notice and choice.
We’re living in a new reality, and the ad industry has to accept some home truths about itself if it wants to evolve.
It’s a resolution of mine to start using the word “people” more often than the word “consumer.” People are more than just what they consume.
