The growth of social media has dramatically changed the way people share personal information with each other. Social networking websites allow individuals to provide a wealth of data about themselves, from basic demographic facts to highly personal information and images. These sites also offer their members/users a platform to express opinions on activities, events, brands and products. Social communities provide a prolific avenue to gather feedback – and can tie that feedback to each provider’s demographics – and thus social media has the market research industry buzzing.
As a result, individuals’ social media privacy is quickly becoming a hot topic among researchers. Unlike panelist community members who understand that the information they provide will be shared outside of the community, many social media users assume that their personal data will remain private. Some individuals post personal information and opinions on social media sites without giving any thought as to how that information could be used. Others assume that because a site requires its users to have an account, only other members of that community can access their personal data. The reality is that many members fail to read these sites’ privacy policy and do not understand who owns and can access the data they choose to provide.
Law makers across the globe are responding to this issue by drafting/revising online privacy legislation to encompass social media. In order for market researchers to utilize data obtained from social networking sites, the industry will need to closely monitor these legislative developments and work with the social media companies to ensure compliance.
Time will tell just how prominent of a role social media will play in market research. But it is clear that changing privacy laws present a moving target that will continue to be a challenge for our industry.
For more information on global privacy issues and/or those specific to your region, see the links below:
Global Privacy Enforcement Network
U.S. Federal Trade Commission Privacy Initiatives
Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
European Commission – Data Protection