Privacy Online
Privacy has always been important, but it has always been taken for granted. As a result, very few people have singled it out for attention. It did not seem worth it. This is changing.
This was written over a decade ago and could not have been more accurate. With the influx in online activity; privacy has become an issue in its own right. Before the twentieth century it differed according to class and culture; it was socially acceptable for a member of the upper class to meddle in the lives of the lower class, but severely frowned upon vice versa. (McLean 1995)
In terms of the studies surrounding the subject, this following paragraph sums up Privacy in relation to each academic discipline.
Philosophical approaches to the study of privacy have centered on the elucidation of the basic concept and the normative questions around whether privacy is a right, a good in itself, or an instrumental good. Economic approaches to the question have centered around the value, in economic terms, of privacy, both in its role in the information needed for efficient markets and in the value of information as a piece of property. Sociological approaches to the study of privacy have emphasized the ways in which the collection and use of personal information have reflected and reinforced the relations of power and influence between individuals, groups, and institutions within society. That there is such a multiplicity of legitimate intellectual approaches to the study of privacy suggests that no one discipline captures, or can capture, the richness and texture of its various nuances, and what appear at first to be very slight or subtle differences turn out to have deep implications in practice. (Waldo et al 2007)
As you can see the issue has been covered widely in recent years due to the increasing ease of invading ones privacy.
Through the years privacy has been increasingly compromised. Cast your mind to your every day life; filling in a census, bank details, a questionnaire, all of these instances involve you passing on private information to others. In the twenty first century it is so normal that sometimes these details aren’t even considered private any more.
Amongst my peers it is normal to share who one has voted for in the general election; whereas my parent’s generation are vigilant not to tell anyone. This illustrates a shift in preferences surrounding confidentiality within the generations.
These days the public are sometimes defeatist towards aspects of their privacy being invaded and take it as a price to pay for credit or governmental assistance. (McLean 1995) However, it is one of the moral panics of the information age, with the online world growing so rapidly people are worried about where it will end. Privacy online is an integral worry of the public, with adverts and offers targeting them left, right and centre. Marketers argue that targeted online advertising is helpful for consumers, many consumers fight back labelling it as invasion of privacy. Privacy rights often stand in the way of marketers, with consumers wanting their rights established, but marketers needing their details to target them successfully.
[Online] …allows information to flow freely between buyers and sellers, removes costs from business processes and increases customer choice. But privacy and security are becoming major issues for individuals and corporations. If we cannot guarantee our privacy, how much will we choose to share with companies online? Without the consent of their customers to use personal information, marketers cannot exploit the real benefits of online networks. (Rowan 2002)
A current issue surrounding this topic is the enabling of tracking cookies online. A new law; set to come into action on the 25th of May 2011, which requires advertisers to seek consent from consumers before using tracking devices on their online behaviour; is being discussed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. (bbc.co.uk)
Behavioural advertising is a burgeoning industry for advertisers and, potentially, a very lucrative one. But it relies heavily on being able to track online behaviour via cookies - small text files placed on a user's computer. (bbc.co.uk)
There are numerous issues with the pending law at the moment, with opposing sides battling for what will benefit them most. The main priority is not to affect the browsing experience, which could be ruined if consent was needed for every page viewed.
This government movement is being negatively received by advertising officials stating that the new law
‘is potentially detrimental to consumers, business and the UK Europe ’ (Nick Stringer IAB's director of regulatory affairs cited BBC)
Digital advertising has been swept along in the wave where consumers are no longer passive. Advertising communications now follow a multi way process with consumers having more of a voice than ever before. As a result of this empowerment; having the right to privacy seems to follow on fittingly.
In an effort to assess the entire issue I will evaluate another side to the subject matter. The government and campaigners talk of a human right to privacy, but do all consumers really want it? After all we are quite happy to exploit the privacy of celebrities, the royal family and reality TV stars. Is it even a valued concept these days?
Opinion is still largely split over this issue; with a large generational divide. Young people today are generally less worried by privacy as they have grown up in a world lacking it.
Even so, whether privacy is a particular worry to someone or not; marketers should be introducing transparency into how they deliver the consumer experience. If not then aren’t they just “admitting that success can only be achieved by keeping consumers in the dark?” (Pearse, 2007)
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References
2011. BBC News. Governments ‘not ready’ for new European Privacy Law. Available from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12677534 [Accessed
6/4/11]
McLean, D.,1995. Privacy and Its Invasion. London: Greenwood
Pearse,. 2007, New Media Age. Do consumers really want their privacy? Available from: http://www.nma.co.uk/opinion/do-consumers-really-want-their-privacy?/36193.article [Accessed 6/4/11]
Rowan, William., 2002 Digital Marketing : Using New Technologies to Get Closer to Your Customers.Milford , CT , USA
Waldo, J., Millett, H., Lynette, I. , 2007 Engaging Privacy and Information Technology in a Digital Age. Washington , DC
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