SURVEILLANCE YOU CAN DANCE TO

Who in their right mind would ever suspect that their headphones were spying on them? But we have reached a point of crisis in "martech" (marketing technology) and "adtech" (advertising technology.) There are so many things keeping track of our activities (our phones, our thermostats, every website we visit, every link we click, our Siris and Alexas) it's impossible to know how much information about us is being collected, stolen, or sold on the open market.

If you're not paranoid you're not paying attention.

Of course, all the companies behind these potential sources of mischief tell us that our privacy and security are their first priority. And, of course, this is utter horseshit. If that's not bad enough, cybersecurity firms - who are supposed to be protecting our privacy - are apparently sometimes actually endangering it.

Later this week I'll be speaking in Toronto. I intend to say that we are dealing with a very clear risk-reward situation. The rewards of adtech, if any, have been quite low. The risks have become enormous.

There are only two groups capable of breaking the out-of-control cycle of surveillance. First is advertisers. They must come to the conclusion that adtech, powered by tracking, is doing more harm than good. I'll be making that case in Toronto. Despite my legendary powers of persuasion, the chances of advertisers doing anything about this are somewhere between zero and nothing.

Second is governments. If the advertising and marketing communities have any sense (hey, a guy can dream can't he?) they will get ahead of the privacy problem before the heavy hand of government comes down hard on them.

All previous newsletters can be found here
For info on having Bob speak, go here