The Marketing Society

As a marketer, a consumer, and a student who lives with a very ethically-minded roommate, the new proposed Do-Not-Track list brings about many mixed feelings.

My marketing side has always leaned towards advocating the growth of technology. I’ve enjoyed working for many internet companies, and not just because I can go in with jeans and spend the entire day on AIM. The new digital technologies are intriguing. Imagine using technology to segment your consumers so finely that you know exactly what the individual person wants. Imagine being able to figure out habits to discover long-term and habitual desires. Imagine knowing exactly what someone wants exactly when someone wants it and then being able to give it to them. How cool would that be?

As a consumer, I’d say that’s pretty awesome. I only want to be told what I want to hear. I’m so tired of emails telling me how I can make my penis larger. Clearly that’s not meant for me. I’m tired of seeing AARP ads on tv. They’re fine for those who want that, but obviously I’m not even close to thinking about joining.

But as great as that all may seem, a part of me, actually a huge part of me, would prefer to stay more anonymous to advertisers. I love the idea of the Do-Not-Call registry. If telemarketers didn’t have a sixth sense of knowing exactly when I was eating dinner, perhaps I wouldn’t mind getting advertising calls (though as a fan of advertising, I’m probably the exception). I also think I like the idea of the Do-Not-Track registry. I’m sure most people aren’t aware of just how much information can be found on your surfing habits. Databases not only know where you click on a site, they can also find out where you came from, where you went, how many times you go back, and what you look at. This is pretty unsettling… especially if there are certain habits you want to hide. And if advertisers can track you, who’s to say that other groups can’t do the same.

I wonder how this list would work, though. IP address? What if I have a dynamic IP address? MAC address? What if I have multiple computers? I guess the logistics of this is harder than just blocking a single telephone number.

So, what I mean to say is.. how do I sign up for this list?

[edit] Thanks Ben! You can now block Facebook from tracking your movements online.

Source:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/31/AR2007103101000_2.html
Source:http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/17285.asp

Sarah