Data protection 2016: Facebook

Facebook and Ctrl-Shift presented their assessment of the state of data protection and consumer attitudes at the DMA Data protection 2016 event

Sinead Connolly, privacy policy manager at Facebook and Liz Brandt, CEO at Ctrl-Shift have produced two reports into the state of data protection.

According to Connolly, "The collection, use and value exchange had changed - the narrative had become not just negative but disruptive.

"We realised we hadn’t engaged with our peers. This led us to commission a conversation, led by Ctrl-Shift. From that conversation, we made a sustainability report and have taken the conversation around Europe and the US," she said.

Brandt said, "Seven years ago consumers controlling data was not something businesses really considered. Here we have framed framing the research where the service is free -like Facebook," she said.

"How has data become a key issue?" she asked.

"Look at cars, and the development of the car. Henry Ford’s first car was too big to come out of his garage," she said.

"Today, we have regulations on safety, the road, seat belts, etc. Like this, data is an evolving environment."

Brandt and Connolly have assembled five themes that developed out of the conversations triggered by their European round table research:

• 1: Collaboration

"Consumers and others working together to develop responsible approaches," said Brandt

• 2 - The value exchange

"If you are going to use data, there has to be some value exchange," she said.

• 3 - Control vs cognitive load

"Is there some way to allow consumers control without overloading people cognitively? Some services already do this on your behalf," she said.

• 4 - Transparency, education, data literacy

"Doubling down on T&Cs is not what it’s about," she said.

• 5 - Industry leadership

"We have to collaborate with regulators, but have to look to industry to lead. Corporates need to show the way forward," said Brandt.