Being sensitive about customer data today is about more than adhering to the obvious privacy protections, panelists asserted during a DMCNY panel on ethical data governance.  

Moderated by Acxiom’s Michelle Fitzpatrick, the discussion featured Acxiom chief privacy officer Jordan Abbott, Sheila Colclasure, global chief digital responsibility and public policy officer of IPG Kinesso, and Fatemeh Khatibloo, VP and principal analyst at Forrester, as panelists. They all agreed that consumers not only have an expectation of data privacy today, but they also expect companies to be clear about how they use and share customer data.

Fitzpatrick pointed out that despite those expectations, all-too-often customer data isn’t private. Khatibloo added that because there are few regulations in marketing, marketers should be more responsible with how they use customer data. She also pointed out that some marketers are concerned that if their organizations have less access to customer data, it will negatively impact innovation — which, she said, is a mistaken assumption.

Interestingly, Colclasure noted, it’s as unethical to not use data to serve people as it is to overuse it.

One frequently cited statistic the panelists discussed is that 60 percent of consumers are willing to share data if it results in a personalized experience. But those same consumers, and others, also make it clear when they want anonymity; for example, if people turn off their location on a device, they are telling marketers something — and marketers have a responsibility to listen to them. Another key point made on that topic: Customers often share their preferences in a subtle way; marketers need to pay attention to their cues.

Abbott noted that as part of ensuring customers’ data privacy, companies should be well along the path to compliance with the California Consumer Privacy Act and other regulations. He said that businesses should be deep in their data inventory by now, categorizing data to help better manage it. Colclasure added that organizations need to be sensitive to personal data when doing that data categorization.

The panelists wrapped up the discussion agreeing that by being respectful of customers’ data privacy and using data to benefit them, there is a real opportunity to enhance trust in the business. Solidifying and maintaining that trust presents another opportunity: profitable growth.