By Jean-Pierre Levieux
Personal data has become a precious and ubiquitous resource in our digital age.
Technology companies, data giants, and even governments have sought to exploit this data for various purposes, ranging from targeted advertising to product improvement.
However, this use of data has raised serious concerns about Privacy and Consent.
In this context, the idea of returning to “short circuits” and promoting Explicit Consent in the sharing of personal data value emerges as an essential solution to restore trust and protect individuals’ privacy.
When it comes to personal data, “Who’s the boss?” Towards a reclaiming of control by their owners?
We are all the rightful owners of our personal data, and brands with their agency partners are temporary tenants.
In a context of the end of cookies, saturation of ad exposure pushing users to use ad blockers, brands have understood that intrusive models and formats struggle to attract attention, intention, consideration, and conversion today.
Huge databases that are expensive to maintain and exploit are making way for more frugal strategies that are less management and energy-intensive, based on principles of social, societal, and environmental responsibility.
Today, they are looking to establish models of invitation, permission, and consent for contextual engagement with personalized offers, more conducive to performance.
They are returning to the fundamentals of marketing, commerce, and relationships, where the goal is less about hunting and more about being chosen by consumers who are sensitive to ownership, the protection of their personal data, and taking back control of their relationship with brands.
Towards a relational data with shared value?
The digital world has witnessed a proliferation of free services in exchange for personal data.
Tech giants like the GAFAs have accumulated massive amounts of data on individuals, fueling their business models based on targeted advertising.
Users have often been in the dark about how their data is used, leading to a growing debate about privacy protection.
Sharing personal data without the Explicit Consent of individuals raises significant questions about privacy compliance. Citizens have been concerned about online activity tracking, the collection of sensitive data, and the possibility that their personal information may be used for purposes they did not consent to. This concern has intensified with data breaches and major security vulnerabilities.
In 2014, the European Commission estimated that the leakage of personal data outside Europe cost nearly 2 trillion euros per year in lost revenue, equivalent to 1.9% of GDP…
For example, Meta (which includes Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp) alone generates over €70 per year per user through the commercial exploitation of its users’ personal data. X (e.g., Twitter) generates nearly €25, WeChat and LinkedIn €14 each, Snapchat €12, Pinterest €6, TikTok €4… (source: Statista 2022)
In total, according to figures from the European Commission and Fabernovel in 2014, the consensus on the value of exploiting our personal data by social networks and adtech players was already estimated at around €150 per month per individual…
€150 per month is equivalent to an extra month’s pay for the vast majority of French people! What if this value were reinvested directly by brands in individuals through their relational and service programs?
Towards a relocalized data, in short circuits?
Returning to “short circuits” in the sharing of personal data value means returning to a more direct and transparent relationship between individuals and businesses. Rather than going through multiple intermediaries for data collection and monetization, users should have more direct control over their personal information, and brands should have a stronger relationship with their prospects and customers.
This can be achieved by allowing individuals to explicitly consent to the more precise and respectful use of their data, especially by offering an attractive counter value for data sharing in trust.
For example, between an audience and a brand, a multitude of technological intermediaries generate value from browsing data and personal data for advertising and marketing targeting.
In this global ecosystem, data travels around the world several times before reaching a local advertising exposure between a brand and its audience, raising questions about the digital carbon footprint generated by the over-intermediation of the advertising sector.
Returning to short data circuits, by limiting intermediaries, would undoubtedly significantly reduce the carbon footprint of a digital advertising campaign.
Brands, aware of this, are deploying new models of responsible communication and precisely measuring their footprint in a “less is more” strategy.
Towards fair data, under Explicit Consent?
Explicit Consent means that individuals must be transparently informed about how their data will be used, and they must give explicit consent for that use. Companies should obtain consent before collecting or sharing personal data.
This approach ensures that individuals have full control over their information and fully understand how it will be used.
A large majority of users want brands to be transparent about the collection, use, storage, and sharing of their data and for what purpose.
Braze’s 2020 study (Data Privacy Report) also showed that over 70% of users and over 94% of brands are in favor of establishing a direct relationship and sharing the value of explicit consent to share personal data transparently in a more equitable data relationship.
Towards Trusted Data, the Foundation of a Lasting Relationship?
Returning to “short circuits” and Explicit Consent is essential to restore trust in the data economy.
Individuals must have the assurance that their personal data will not be used without their knowledge, and they will benefit fairly from the value created from their information.
Companies that adopt these principles gain the trust of their users and stand out as responsible players in the market.
Trust, the holy grail of the relationship for any brand, requires unwavering transparency, “smart contracts” that blockchain can now ensure, but above all, a data hospitality where intrusion is replaced by invitation.
By promoting Explicit Consent and “short circuits,” companies can develop more sustainable economic models.
Individuals are much more inclined to share their data if their privacy is respected, and companies can officially align their interests with those of their users by fairly sharing the value generated by this data.
The return to “short circuits” and Explicit Consent in the sharing of personal data value is a crucial step in preserving the privacy of individuals and restoring trust in the data economy.
Companies that place privacy protection and Explicit Consent at the heart of their activities significantly enhance their reputation, create sustainable economic models, and build trust-based relationships with their users.
Explicit Consent is an essential step towards a more ethical and privacy-respecting digital future. This is the mission of ConsentPlace, with the aim of empowering individuals to use, save, and donate their personal data by giving them the opportunity to leverage it with trusted brands!
Discover more at https://Fr.ConsentPlace.com.
