Marketing Pilgrim

Today, the fledgling social network Path was forced to issue an apology based on how it used contact data from its users. That’s an oversimplification of course but you can find plenty of places where the incidentals have been explained. Even Path investors like Michael Arrington’s CrunchFund had to call out the company.

The story of the day is definitely about Path (a CrunchFund portfolio company). The company has been copying address book information to their servers without user knowledge.

The company was apparently already aware of the issue and was taking steps to address it prior to this post coming out. The Android app has an opt-in, and a version of the app with an opt-in is awaiting approval at Apple, says CEO Dave Morin in the comments to the original post. Morin has also flat out apologized.

While the Internet cynics are looking at the Google Screenwise project as something curious in light of recent Google moves, I find the general idea a bit refreshing and something that has been sorely missing from the equation for a very long time.

The page at Google which describes this service offering says the following

Google is building a new panel to learn more about how everyday people use the Internet.

The new project is called Screenwise. As a panelist, you’ll add a browser extension that will share with Google the sites you visit and how you use them. What we learn from you, and others like you, will help us improve Google products and services and make a better online experience for everyone.

Google’s SPYW (Search Plus Your World) certainly has elicited some strong reactions. We have heard many of them, read the long -winded diatribes and had every “expert” weigh in on the situation. That’s all necessary (I suppose) but when the rubber meets the road, just what level of impact this change in Google’s search methodology is will be determined by the Internet commonmer, not the Silicon Valley insider.

That’s why some research from AYTM Market Research that was passed through by eMarketer is interesting but I have some questions myself. First, look at this chart which measures people’s concerns about privacy and search.

Maybe 2012 will be the Year of Online Security? There seems to be some talk about it these days and that is a good thing. We like to get excited talking about all the latest ways to communicate and the gadgets that enable that communication. We are all about getting the message across and finding out who did what and why online.

As marketers that is perfectly acceptable and good. It’s our job. An increasing part of that job, however, is the responsibility of ensuring the relative safety of our businesses in the online space. That seems to be more precarious than ever especially with the extensive movement into the mobile space.

One of the attractive feature of Apple products in general is the relative insignificance of viruses, malware and overall mischievous behavior by those who like to mess things up for folks in the Internet age. Most of the wrath and venom of hackers and others has been pointed at Microsoft based products because Microsoft is cast as the villain of the tech world, whether it is deserved or not.

Marketers need to pay attention to systems that they tie their success to as well. Stability and safety are two things that corporations like. Apple’s iOS usually provides that. A story from the Apple Insider, however, made me wonder if Apple will continue to be more of a tech safe house if more headlines like this occur.

Online security and privacy will always be an issue. There is nothing that will put an end to the need for paying attention to the state of your personal or corporate online security. Nothing.

It’s a cat and mouse game that is simply between the good guys and the bad guys. There are bad guys online just like there are in every walk of life. I have seen anyone or any organization who has been able to eradicate bad guys anywhere so the expectation that it is “under control” in the Wild West world of the Internet is dangerous.

While we may roll our eyes at yet more tips regarding online privacy, it’s that very attitude that will ultimately ensure more victims. So if you don’t pay attention and you get hit don’t cry about it. You know better.

We think that most people understand the fact that once you do something online it can be very difficult to make it go away. Just ask Bruce Clay about his issues recently around trying to take a site down in time for people to not tear it apart. The “magic” of the Internet has created numerous ways to still bring that site up even though it is no longer in existence. Ooooops.

The reality is that most people (those outside of the Internet over-saturated, Silicon Valley types whose level of disconnect from reality can be startling) don’t understand what they are doing when they post things online. And apparently, at least with Facebook, “deleting” a picture isn’t what it might seem either.

According to Ars Technica