Part Two: It’s All About Transparency
Data transparency.
That’s the big issue I think we’ll spend a lot of time with in 2024, and beyond.
Let’s face it… It’s already a pretty big issue now.
But I really think we’re only just scratching the surface.
For me, it’s something you need to be thinking about now and making sure you’re on top of it or, at the very least, considering how you can be. As you’ll see below, demands to see what information you have on customers and clients is only likely to increase in time …
And, as you know, if your data is not well organised, getting this information into the hands (minds) of your customers is going to be a lot harder. It’s not just about organising your data in an efficient way, either.
In a more transparent world, customers want to know how a product was made?
Where its parts were sourced?
Whether it’s being produced in a sustainable way?
You need transparency.
The good news is:
With the right platform, and with good management, transparency across all of your data is a whole lot simpler to achieve.
So, for help improving your data management – don’t hesitate to get in touch as we can certainly advise you here at HSO.
But whatever you do, make sure you don’t dismiss it. I mean, look around…
TechCrunch recently reported that Uber have seen a sharp rise in number of demands from the US and Canadian governments for rider data. Legal requests for data are up 27%.
That’s a pretty significant year on year rise. And I think it’s only likely to increase.
Uber’s global privacy and security public policy manager, Uttara Sivaram, is reported as saying:
“Our responsibility to preserve consumer privacy while meeting regulatory and public safety obligations will become increasingly complex and challenging as we field a growing number of government requests for data every year.”
Complex and challenging…
How often do you hear those words when it comes to data management, right? Preserving consumer privacy while meeting regulatory obligations is not a challenge that Uber faces alone.
Far from it. As we pointed out in a (humorous) video and (FREE) book we produced recently, data transparency is quickly becoming one of the biggest challenges to businesses in general.
Confessions of a Data Man: Everything you need to know to survive in data management
See what 20 years of experience can teach you about data...
But on a serious note, it’s clear how powerful a tool data has become. And as someone who works with data, you don’t need me to remind you how powerful a tool it is.
But now more and more people are starting to understand just how powerful it can be, as well as the link between well-managed data and capturing the value of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
There will be more onus placed on businesses to provide clear transparency about any information they hold.
Governments requesting data is one thing… But the fact is:
There’s even a call for greater transparency on the data used to elect the government in the first place these days. Google has said it will no longer allow political adverts to be targeted at people based on their political leanings.
X has said it’s going to ban it outright. Why? While some might see this as a political issue, the fact is… It’s a data one.
Specifically, it’s another example of why data transparency is so important and why it’s only going to get more traction as we head into 2025.
If you dig deep enough – everything comes back to data. And look...
As an organisation, if you hold a lot of it, I believe the responsibility is ultimately going to come down on you to be transparent with it.
But by far the best way to prepare and prevent problems is to make sure you’re on top of it. And good data management is the key to make sure you are.
But here’s something to think about... When we talk about data transparency, what are we really talking about? We’ll cover that in the final part of this report…