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Giving visitors control over privacy

By jsterne

On the Web Analytics Forum Stuart Taylor wrote:

Subject: [webanalytics] Could this be the (begining of the) end for WA as we know it?

Just chanced upon this during lunch hour browsing:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7574265.stm
Its the first i’ve heard of these features, but TBH i haven’t been
following IE8

That prompted me to write a response that Gahlord Dewald,
Director of Web Strategy at Union Street Media wanted to see on a blog post so he could comment.

OK then – here ’tis…

Giving control to customers (visitors) is always the right move. It then places the responsibility on the marketer to offer sufficiently significant value that the customer is willing to exchange personal data.

Level 0 – Cloaking device engaged
– View all of our marketing materials

Level 1 – Cloaking turned off – cookies enabled – javascript tags accepted
– Configure products
– Stock-on-hand viewable
– Use of shopping cart
– Access to blog
– Latest white papers available

Level 2 – Email address
– Download screen savers
– White paper archive
– Ability to comment on blogs
– Newsletter
– Notification of special deals
– Webinars
– RSS feeds

Level 3 Postal address & preferences
– Product discounts
– Special event invitations
– Access to local call center
– Member-only webinars

Level 4 Answer surveys, participate in Advisory Council
– Negotiated pricing
– Client conferences in Aruba

Level 5 Reveal most intimate personal details and predilections
– Marriage proposal

Level 6 Vulcan mind-meld
– Resistance is futile

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This entry was posted on August 21, 2008 at 10:08 am and is filed under web analytics industry. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

4 Responses to “Giving visitors control over privacy”

  1. Google Ads Online Learning » Blog Archive » Online Data Tracking and Privacy Says:
    December 19, 2008 at 6:56 am | Reply

    [...] Also see Jim Stern’s view on giving users the control on privacy. [...]

  2. Benjamin Wright Says:
    November 4, 2008 at 7:40 am | Reply

    Jim: A few months ago Google claimed it could impose its legal terms on the public just by publishing the terms. Maybe members of the public can impose their own terms of privacy protection on Google just by publishing those terms! A person might — for example — say in her published privacy terms that analytics engines cannot keep records of her activities longer than a week. –Ben My ideas are not legal advice for any particular situation, just fodder for public discussion.

  3. Internet Marketing for Real Estate » Asking for information from potential customers Says:
    August 29, 2008 at 11:52 am | Reply

    [...] a conversation about the proposed privacy features of IE8, Jim Sterne devised a tiered set of access and features to give to site visitors based on the informat…. Notice how each level of information sharing relates directly to the kinds of features the [...]

  4. Avinash Kaushik Says:
    August 21, 2008 at 1:24 pm | Reply

    This is a absolutely brilliant and classic Jim Sterne response. I love it!!

    Thanks Jim. Now I have a framework in which I can think. : )

    -Avinash.

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