Educate Or Regulate? Mobile Advertising Under Scrutiny From Advocacy Groups
A week after the Center for Digital Democracy (CDD), and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group formerly asked the commission to launch an investigation into the privacy implications of marketing practices targeted at mobile phone users, and it’s clear the mobile phone could be the next battleground in a clash between consumer rights groups and the wider advertising community. I spent the last days researching the some 50 vendors listed in the complaint and the groups’ claims that the companies tools/technologies/solutions threaten privacy and consumer welfare.
I present my take in a guest column set to be posted on Friday at Mobile Marketer, a leading mobile advertising news site and MSG partner featured in the news feed section.
Mickey Alam Khan, Mobile Marketer Editor-in-Chief, was going to post my column earlier, but he decided to save the best for last – literally. As he put it: The strongest opinion piece gets the Friday slot (allowing it to stay up for three-day run). I am honored that Mickey feels my guest column qualifies, and I look forward to the industry-wide discussion I hope it will inspire.
Until then, another worthwhile commentary on this controversial topic comes from esteemed colleague and MSG supporter Ajit Jaokar.
In addition to his views, which I detail below, he has a comment from Jeff Chester, CDD director, urging the mobile industry “to better inform the public about its business model, encourage a discussion and debate, and agree to reasonable safeguards designed to protect privacy and support consumer autonomy.”
(I agree with Jeff on all counts, and outline my position in my own column. However, I also suggest that education – not regulation- is the path that will get us there.)
Ajit also points out that our concern over privacy and consumer welfare – particularly youth – should not stifle innovation or experimentation. As he sees it: The report correctly places the needs of the consumer and the people above the needs of advertisers and commerce. (A good thing since Ajit also contends mobile impacts the psychosocial development of youth. Put another way, mobile is much more than a communication tool; it’s how youth shapes their individual identity.)
Hmmm – reminds me of the words of Marshall McLuhan, philosopher, educator and scholar of media theory: The technology we invent reinvents us. Thus, youth (and all of us) are becoming mobile, and mobile is also becoming a part of us…
At the same time, Ajit takes a brave stance and declares we must “protect youth but not patronize them.” As he observes, younger people will have a fundamentally different relationship with technology – and I would add they will also want to communicate with brands on their terms.
Overall, the complaint demonstrates the maturity and potential of the mobile data industry. Where does it go from here? The jury is out on this one – but the discussion is just starting, so please join in.
NOTE: I also encourage you to peruse Every Single One Of Us – a venture (in the words of founder Jonathan MacDonald) “dedicated more toward education than regulation that potentially undermines the principles and values of citizens, and is supportive of methodologies that promote citizen bias.”
Tags: behavioral targeting, privacy, relavancy, targeted
