Friday, January 05, 2007
GfK stresses the importance of protecting consumer data
Big Breakthrough or Big Brother?
GfK Roper Consulting research indicates that for all companies, responsible consumer information collection and handling are key issues and may be key differentiators. For tech companies developing new products, built-in security features that offer info-sharing options yet keep control in users’hands should be a priority.
Did you know that :
69% of the American public thinks lack of privacy will be a serious problem in the future (+14 % points from 1980)
63% are very concerned about the privacy of personal information such as financial information or identity (+6 % points from 2005)
GfK asks “WHEN DO MOBILE TECHNOLOGIES OR INFORMATION-SHARING opportunities become the tools for privacy invasion?” In the minds of many consumers, the examples below could be considered friend or foe.
Face Prints as Search Tools
Polar Rose AB is a Swedish startup company that will launch a visual search engine this year to facilitate image searches of people conducted online. The company’s software can reconstruct a 3-D shape of a face to create a searchable “face print,”more accurate than a Google keyword search and more sophisticated than Riya’slike.com(an American-run site that searches for inanimate objects.)
Trial Homeland Security Measure Sees All
The “Backscatter”machine, a new x-ray system that can detect nonmetallic weapons, is finally going into testing phase at the Phoenix International Airport this year. The machine’s use has been protested by groups such as the ACLU, which call the technology a “virtual strip search”because the machine temporarily displays graphic images of nudebodies. The Transportation Security Administration says it does not store, print, or transmit images.
FacebookChanges Prompt Big ResponseI
In 2006, Facebook introduced a new RSS-type news feed feature to its site, allowing users to view updates of any and all changes made on friends’ pages. Users could view by-the-minute changes to accepted or deleted friends, alterations to personal information, and any group updates. The changes met harsh criticism –a boycott, a “Students Against Facebook News Feed” group, and the creation of hate sites. The CEO of Facebook has since responded personally and new privacy controls have been incorporated into the site.
GfK surveys.com marketing marketing research
GfK Roper Consulting research indicates that for all companies, responsible consumer information collection and handling are key issues and may be key differentiators. For tech companies developing new products, built-in security features that offer info-sharing options yet keep control in users’hands should be a priority.
Did you know that :
69% of the American public thinks lack of privacy will be a serious problem in the future (+14 % points from 1980)
63% are very concerned about the privacy of personal information such as financial information or identity (+6 % points from 2005)
GfK asks “WHEN DO MOBILE TECHNOLOGIES OR INFORMATION-SHARING opportunities become the tools for privacy invasion?” In the minds of many consumers, the examples below could be considered friend or foe.
Face Prints as Search Tools
Polar Rose AB is a Swedish startup company that will launch a visual search engine this year to facilitate image searches of people conducted online. The company’s software can reconstruct a 3-D shape of a face to create a searchable “face print,”more accurate than a Google keyword search and more sophisticated than Riya’slike.com(an American-run site that searches for inanimate objects.)
Trial Homeland Security Measure Sees All
The “Backscatter”machine, a new x-ray system that can detect nonmetallic weapons, is finally going into testing phase at the Phoenix International Airport this year. The machine’s use has been protested by groups such as the ACLU, which call the technology a “virtual strip search”because the machine temporarily displays graphic images of nudebodies. The Transportation Security Administration says it does not store, print, or transmit images.
FacebookChanges Prompt Big ResponseI
In 2006, Facebook introduced a new RSS-type news feed feature to its site, allowing users to view updates of any and all changes made on friends’ pages. Users could view by-the-minute changes to accepted or deleted friends, alterations to personal information, and any group updates. The changes met harsh criticism –a boycott, a “Students Against Facebook News Feed” group, and the creation of hate sites. The CEO of Facebook has since responded personally and new privacy controls have been incorporated into the site.
GfK surveys.com marketing marketing research
