The biggest illusion is that we have any privacy online. It's a myth. It's like the myth of airline safety and the fact that the security procedure makes us strip down before we board the plane, regardless of the fact that 90 percent of the cargo on that plane has never been checked. The illusion of security makes us feel better, and that is exactly what a bill like this would do, make us feel better. It will make us feel like we have control over our online data. But the only control we have is over what we do online.
Online search companies are providing a service -- a damn cool service, I might add -- and one that is FREE for the consumer. Hmmm... think about that. You are getting something for free and then trying to tell the company that is providing that service not to track you. Wow, that's a great business model. I give you something for free, something that costs an enormous amount of money and a lot of brain power to provide, and we are just supposed to sit back and let you look around our entire store and do nothing?
If you don't want to be tracked, don't come in the door. It's your choice. My company even gives you that choice to surf anonymously, so that we don't track your searches. Just click a button on the homepage. And that is my point. It's your choice what you put online, and it's your choice if you are concerned about privacy to seek out solutions that protect you, the consumer.
A lot of people feel this anonymity because they are in the confines of their own homes. It's the kind of anonymity that lets the side of ourselves we do not tend to show society out. It's more alternative, subversive, dark, kinky, and to be honest, fun. Just imagine, however, that there is your mom looking over your shoulder the entire time you are surfing. Yes, it's all being tracked somewhere, but the sad thing is that it really is not being used for evil. These companies are just trying to provide consumers with ads that are actually more relevant to them. The web runs on advertising, limit it at our peril. If search engines didn't have an auction bid model for keywords that made sure the landing page was relevant to the paid ad, then you wouldn't get any ads that were targeted. But they do. If you search for something kinky, guess what? A text ad may be delivered that just may be relevant to your search. That's fine, you just don't want your name attached to it, I understand.
For some reason in the offline world, it seems completely acceptable to data-mine to your heart's content. Why do you think grocery stores give you discounts for using a simple card? Because they so value you as a customer and they are just being nice? Are you really that naive? That information with your purchase habits is immediately tied to your name and your address. Are you single and do you buy booze, condoms and cigarettes? Guess what? Don't be surprised if you start getting some fun, hip catalogs in the mail. But that is not where the danger is; the danger is that some health insurance company buys a grocery chain and then starts to adjust insurance rates based on your lifestyle. Think about that the next time you throw your grocery card down for that carton of cigarettes and the three liter bottle of vodka. That is scary, and a much more probable scenario than all the scare tactics about online privacy and behavioral targeting.
Look, online privacy is a good thing, and if Congress does pass legislation, then at least it will make it a level playing field for everyone. But don't be surprised if all of a sudden those banner ads and other forms of advertising online start to become a little less relevant and a lot more annoying.
Sean X Cummings is director of marketing for Ask.com.