CMOpinion: AI and tech – the potential to negatively impact consumers in the changing media landscape
In her regular Mumbrella column, 8-Star Energy CMO Diana Di Cecco looks at the issue of human rights in the data economy.
There are cultural moments that create juxtapositions in life – that intersection when something previously considered uncool becomes cool, or vice versa.
Fitting examples include when it became cool to be smart, when it was no longer cool to smoke, when acting on climate change became cool (like right now, given the number of organisations and nations making bold commitments in their quest for net zero carbon emissions), or when it became cool to celebrate LGBTQ+ (did you notice how many business logos donned the rainbow colours in June?).
We live in a generational climate that has not yet seen the full effect of how digital footprints impact us. Most people reading this grew up and learned all things digital in school or at work, some might remember the launch of Facebook (I do!), and we’ve migrated from manual to automated processes. But there is a generation born in the last 10-15 years who know no different; these are the true digital natives of our lifetime. This is the cohort whose digital footprints started when their parents shared their first baby pictures “on the socials” – without their consent by the way (but more on consent later). This is the cohort who is least vigilant with their data. And this is the cohort who will be most impacted by a lifelong digital footprint. Given we’re in a constantly advancing data and tech economy, I have a distinct feeling it’s about to become cool to protect your personal data and the human rights that accompany it.
