data – Miranda's Marketing Mind

In my blog YouTube caught collecting children’s data we talked about the ethics of collecting children’s data. However, the question of ethical data usage is something which has become increasingly concerning over recent years. The Cambridge Analytica and Facebook scandal, in particular, recently brought the practice of personal data usage to the average consumer’s attention.

For marketers the use of data can increase the quality of sales leads, prospecting accuracy, territory planning, win rates, and decision maker engagement strategies. The evolution of data technologies and analytics has created new marketing opportunities but also opened up a myriad of ethical challenges, such as the targeting or exclusion of minorities through dark ads. Consumers still struggle to understand the nature and scope of the data collected about them, and only 9% believe they have “a lot of control” over the data that is collected about them, despite 74% saying that it is very important to be in control of who can get their information.

The ability to collect more granular data grows, typically faster than rules and guidelines can be written to keep pace. Thus, although a marketer’s use of data might be guided if their company or industry has clear data usage guidelines, it ultimately has a large reliance on their own personal ethics. The integration of ethical data practises, that address questions regarding the technology’s influence on society, will be what the future of digital marketing relies upon.

What do you think about the ethics about data usage in marketing? Should there be more rules in place to protect and inform consumers about data collection?

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In 2019, after an investigation by the American Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Google’s video streaming site YouTube, was fined $170 million for allegations it was collecting children’s personal data without their parents’ permission, allowing for personalised advertising to target those children. It is Google’s largest ever fine. In the USA children under the age of 13 are protected by federal law from having their personal information collected and shared.

YouTube claims that it is not for children under 13, (and has a separate app for under 13’s, YouTube Kids), however, it consistently ranks amongst the most popular brands for this age group. The FTC investigation showed that YouTube didn’t just know this, but used it to attract advertisers. Google compiles “identifiers” that follow viewers online, making an advertising profile that can follow them across the web. So not only does the YouTube site use personalised ads for children, it helps those personalised ads track them. For example, if a child were to watch an ad about a toy, advertisers could continue to show them ads about toys on other websites.

YouTube didn’t admit to any fault in the settlement, but will be making changes to their platform. The changes will attempt to better identify which content is targeted at children, and prevent that content from running personalised ads.

YouTube never admitted to wrong doing, so we are left asking, should they have to or are they doing their best to protect children? These changes will likely lead to less child friendly content on the platform, as it will be more difficult for creators to earn money from it. Where is the line between allowing the online platform to grow, and ensuring the safety of children?

This raises concerns for the way marketers can collect data, as they must ensure that they are not collecting data unlawfully, such as with children under 13 in the US. In the online sphere everyone is anonymous, which can make it hard to identify whose information you are collecting, including children who are unware of the implications of the data they give away. The rise in online viewing by children creates more opportunities for marketers, however it’s more difficult to do so in a safe and compliant environment, without unfairly targeting their vulnerabilities. If a large company like Google failed to ensure they were not unfairly targeting children, are companies with less resources able to ensure they use digital marketing fairly?

What does this mean for the future of digital marketing for children?

To read more about ethics in data collection read this.

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