by Rich Murphy, President, Alliance for Audited Media
This fall I attended over a dozen industry conferences, covering a broad range of media, advertising and technology subjects. One topic was on every agenda: Privacy.
Protecting consumer data and adhering to privacy laws and regulations are priorities for all brands. Legal requirements aside, if consumers know that a brand has their best interests in mind when collecting data, they are more likely to trust them with their information. Establishing trust and transparency with consumers leads to better user experiences and business outcomes.
But that’s challenging when the current state of privacy is a mess. As of December 1, 12 states have passed comprehensive privacy laws, nine states have active bills in committee, 14 states have inactive bills, and 15 states have not introduced a privacy bill, according to the IAPP US State Privacy Tracker. How are publishers, media buyers and intermediaries supposed to operate in this environment?
Last year, the IAB raised red flags about the impact of new state privacy laws. Their report concluded that managing multiple sets of legal standards would be challenging. Adhering to contradictory laws and regulations puts a strain on brands’ resources and disrupts advertising processes across jurisdictions. The report added that a “one size fits all” approach is likely necessary to ease the burden placed on advertisers and publishers.
Let’s stop this madness and introduce a national privacy law that works for consumers and the industry.
