This is the last Data Privacy Roundup of 2023. And because it is the birthright of every trade journalist to spend most of December recycling and repackaging their own content from the year that was, that’s what I’m going to do.
Consider it my contribution to the ad tech industry’s sustainability efforts.
If I had to pick one privacy-related theme to highlight from 2023, it would be the rising temperature in DC and around the world – and that’s not a climate-change reference – as regulators continue to scrutinize and put pressure on the digital ad industry.
As Jamie Barnard, the CEO of privacy compliance tech company Compliant, noted during a chat we had over the summer, advertising businesses are in the crosshairs “because regulators are in business, too – the business of enforcing privacy, and it’s easy pickings.”
“Just look at the state of the media supply chain,” he continued. “I don’t think most companies could withstand an audit of their data flows.”
New Year’s (identity) resolution
Which sounds rather discouraging. In what feels like a game of cat and mouse, no one wants to be the mouse.
But the relationship between regulators and advertisers doesn’t have to be adversarial.
Yes, regulators are in “the business of enforcing privacy,” but they’re not unreasonable. Making a good faith effort at compliance and changing a business practice to mitigate risk goes a long way toward convincing a regulator that a company takes compliance seriously.
And although it’s perhaps become a bit of a cliche to say data privacy can be a way to stand out from the competition, it’s also 100% true.
“Now’s the time for anyone that is more buttoned up and more forward-thinking to differentiate themselves,” said Lisa Abousaleh, CEO and co-founder of data verification startup Neutronian, speaking during a virtual event hosted by ID5 earlier this week.
Companies that consider compliance to be a priority rather than a box to tick (or a pain in their butt) can pitch themselves as ahead of their competitors “and therefore less risky to work with,” Abousaleh said.
So why not do it? There’s only upside. Let’s make 2024 the year of data privacy as a differentiator.
But let’s also make it happen way faster than the “year of mobile.” (That took, like, a decade.)
A hearty thanks for reading this year! And happy holidays, of course. Because this is the last Data Privacy Roundup of the year, let me leave you with three – count ’em, three! – adorable cat videos. First, here’s some live footage of me at my computer. Two, I wonder when we’ll get our first snow? And three, let’s ring in the new year right. As always, feel free to drop me a line at [email protected] with any comments or feedback, and “see” ya in January!
