Conveniency and privacy

People are full of contradictions, going through life saying one thing and then doing another. For example, people think they care a lot about data privacy, but they are often willing to use their data as currency. Remember the times in the airports or public places where you exchange your email address or social media profile for WiFi access?

It only takes the touch of a finger to locate the nearest bank, purchase tickets for a movie or find directions to just about anywhere in the world. The digital revolution has changed the way the current generation carries out everyday tasks. However, firms and organisation won’t be able to provide you the conveniency you want when they have no information about you. Just imagine your takeaways will be ready for collection when you’re 3 minutes away from the restaurant, how convenient is that. But you have to share your location in order to achieve that sort of conveniency level.

Mobile and technology should be used as a butler or a concierge, not a stalker. Firms need to responsibly uphold their side of the deal. They need to surprise and impress consumers while helping them with their needs. After all, sometimes a marketing offer pops up out of nowhere at the right time and helps us, thanks to the data we’ve shared. We attribute it to coincidence, karma, luck, or fate. But it was all planned in advance, driven by data, curated just for you.

Instead of fearing sharing data, we should feel comfortable with it—and even start getting excited about it. Rarely do we enter an economic era when the technological upside is so positive for both consumers and the firms that live up to their end of the bargain.

Of course we can just disappear and keep yourself off the grid. But the odds are it won’t be an easy life. Would you go for privacy or conveniency?