by Gerrie Coertzen and Daniel de Bruin
As we discussed in part 2 of this series of articles, the internet is becoming more social, and content is increasingly being curated and censored by social media platforms. The way we all access content on the internet has changed considerably over the last year, and continues to change.
Most of the social media platforms no longer share all of the updates of our ‘contacts’ or ‘friends’, but have started to curate the content. The initial benefits to consumers are clear: fewer updates that are boring or irrelevant, and more updates that are interesting and helpful. However, there is a danger that the curated approach leads to potential censorship, based on the fees paid to show content to us.
Now, following pending changes to the laws governing how the internet is accessed, an even greater threat has emerged. The equality of internet traffic is now being threatened, with a two-tiered system being considered by lawmakers in the US and Europe. #NetNeutrality is under threat.
Internet users globally are starting to realise the threat presented by a two-tiered internet and are taking action. More than a million internet users have already signed a new petition aimed at US and EU lawmakers to keep the internet neutral.
In one of our recent Google Plus updates, we included the link to a global petition.
Add value without sacrificing privacy
Social media analytics provides business analysts and marketers with an unprecedented opportunity paired with a big challenge. The insights gained from social media can provide real-time access to some of the most pressing business needs and can also help to plan future business strategies. But the real challenge is to use this data to the benefit of consumers and organisations, without infringing on the data privacy and security of consumers.
Users are increasingly making use of tools to protect their privacy. On a lower level, they use browser settings that do not allow tracking such as Chrome’s ‘Incognito’ and Safari’s ‘Private’ setting. On a higher level, consumers make use of anonymity tools such as ‘Tor’ where IP addresses are masked or rooted to other geographical areas. In a recent survey by GlobalWebIndex, it was found that 56% of those surveyed said that they felt the internet is eroding their personal privacy, with an estimated 415 million people or 28% of the online population using tools to disguise their identity or location. This means that geographic data and other assumptions based on this data, will not be accurate.
In an attempt to safeguard customers, Google also does not reveal the specific keywords users are searching for while logged into their Google accounts. This information is, however, available to Google, but not to their customers using Google Analytics. So for assumptions to be relevant, an increased amount of ‘generalised’ data is needed.
Alternatively, companies need to find ways in which to convince consumers that sharing their information will be beneficial to them (the clients) in the short and long term. Basically, finding ways and communicating to them that, the benefits far outweigh the risks of providing information in the first instance.
It would seem that the best way for organisations to utilise data from social media is to develop products and services with an added value to their customers, enhancing the sales process and customer care. This may be by providing them with quick and relevant information to help them make decisions on the spot and allowing them the opportunity to interact and take action as needed.
What the future holds (back)
Soon consumers will probably no longer need to search for information online, because useful information will be presented to them on their chosen devices at the right time, when they need it. The most useful information an individual might need should be presented at the most useful time, based on past online and offline behaviour, and the likes, dislikes, interactions and conversations people have had on social media. But all of this will only be possible if users trust the organisations that are harvesting and selling this information, and if these organisations protect the privacy of their consumers, and provide them with valuable benefits.
In the final article in our series, we will discuss data security and how individuals can be rewarded for sharing their private data.
Gerrie Coertzen and Daniel de Bruin are directors at Modelling Design Partners, a business intelligence company implementing the latest techniques in data analytics and machine learning.
