Data Minimalism

Have you read Apple CEO Tim Cook’s consumer data protection op-ed “You Deserve Privacy Online”?

Although written over a year ago, it has held-up very well because Cook's thinking is so far out front on the topic.

In it Cook calls on the US Congress to pass comprehensive data privacy legislation because the risks of doing nothing are high, and the opportunities for government protections are vanishing. 

He proposes four principals to guide policymakers:

First, the right to have personal data minimized. Companies need to be pushed to strip identifying information from customer data or avoid collecting it in the first place. 

Second, the right to knowledge. Consumers deserve to know what data is being collected and why. 

Third, the right to access. Companies need to make it easy for individuals to access, correct and delete their personal data. 

And fourth, the right to data security. Trust is impossible when the data is not secure.

Cook’s proposal reframes data controls as fundamental human rights, not things that platforms can legislate through their own Terms & Conditions.

To ensure compliance, Cook asks the Federal Trade Commission establish a data-broker clearinghouse, requiring data brokers to register, enabling consumers to track transactions that have bundled and sold their data, and giving them the power to delete their data on demand.

Although somewhat self-serving for Apple because their business model does not involve packaging/selling personal data, it is good for consumers and marketers too. 

And as a strategic choice, data minimalism has worked. It is brand safe. And sustainable. 

Looking forward, it is a large opportunity for the digital marketing industry both in terms of its value to consumers and its need for work from all sides. 

You can read the essay here … 

https://time.com/collection/davos-2019/5502591/tim-cook-data-privacy/