Targeted advertising in the age of heightened privacy protections

Abstract

In this paper, we aim to decipher the various methods through which companies track user behavior on the internet and how the swathes of data collected is then used to profile and predict trends. We discover how personal as well as non-personal data is used to effectively run marketing campaigns and tailor advertisements based on our activity on the internet. Privacy rights has been an issue that has been discussed at length for more over decades now and as technology has evolved at a rapid pace, the legal frameworks, and regulations in place to prevent monopolies and abuse of power have started to catch up. We analyze the various regulations across regions over the world as well as critically evaluate possible alternatives to the existing free-for-all commercialization of user data. Can we really protect the privacy of user data and yet accomplish effective advertising that is “less cr*ppy and less creepy”? Through a varied mix of secondary research, we’ve attempted to understand and communicate succinctly the possible alternative outcomes for advertising in a world which has higher standards of privacy protections.