Companies and user data

Introduction to Data Privacy

Tiffany Lewis

Security and Privacy Instructor

Investigating the types of data companies collect

• Personal data - info about users
• Engagement data - how users interact
• Behavioral data - what users do
• Attitudinal data - how users feel

 

Why do companies want user data?

• Analyze user information
  • Informs business decisions
• Knowledge is power... so is data

What do companies do with the data?

1. Optimize customer experience
2. Targeted advertising
3. Resell the data
4. Product development
5. Improve business strategy

User experience and product development

• Understand the user base and their preferences
• Modify products, goods, and services for better user preference alignment

Resell data

• Data broker an entity that collects information about users and then sells the information for profit.
  • Selling the data
  • Creating customer profiles
• Example: Databroker creating diabetics profiles and reselling them to health insurance companies.

Targeting advertising

• Hundred billion(s) industry
• Nothing is free... even "free" services
• How it works
  • Sell advertising spots
  • Personalized ads based on profiles
• Example: Finding ads on different websites based on online product searches.

¹ https://www.statista.com/statistics/261827/leading-media-companies-worldwide/

Improve business strategy

• Tracking user footprint
  • Spending habits
  • Competitor platforms
  • User preferences
• Helps company make business and investment decisions

Frequent flyer program example

Let's practice!

Introduction to Data Privacy