Data Privacy Initiative to Demonstrate Respect for Individual Information Privacy
New Initiative: Fair Data Scheme Promises Transparency and Trust
The Market Research Society (MRS) has recently launched a new scheme called Fair Data, aimed at helping the public identify businesses that handle their personal data ethically and responsibly. The scheme, heavily influenced by the Data Protection Act, is open to all companies, not just MRS members, but non-members must undergo an audit by the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) at their expense.
The Fair Data scheme is based on ten core principles that businesses must adhere to in order to use the 'Fair Data' logo on their marketing materials. These principles include obtaining customer consent for data collection, not using data for purposes other than those consented, providing data access to customers, keeping data secure, treating data with respect, protecting data of vulnerable and underage individuals, holding data suppliers to the same ethical standards, integrating ethical best practice in personal data procurement, training staff in data protection, and not using data if there is uncertainty about the principles being applied.
One of the first businesses to sign up to the scheme is Lil-Lets, a feminine hygiene company. Richard Jameson, MD of GfK, a market research giant, has also signed up to the Fair Data scheme, believing that the mark will help develop trust with survey respondents and clients regarding data handling.
Information commissioner Christopher Graham has welcomed the Fair Data initiative as an opportunity for businesses to draw attention to their DPA compliance. Alan Mitchell, an advisor to the UK government's midata programme and chief strategy officer of a data marketing agency, sees the launch of Fair Data as a sign that being seen to handle personal data ethically is becoming a source of brand trust.
However, economics researcher Sören Preibusch at Cambridge University has shown in experiments that customers are not always prepared to place a high economic value on their personal data, suggesting they are willing to trade it for small discounts. On the other hand, Preibusch has also shown that customers who place a higher value on privacy are likely to spend more.
The potential danger of 'kitemark' proliferation with existing schemes like TRUSTe and the UK government's midata programme has been mentioned by Alan Mitchell. He warns of the need to ensure that the Fair Data scheme maintains its credibility and effectiveness in promoting trust and transparency in the handling of personal data.
Overall, the Fair Data scheme promises to provide a valuable tool for businesses to demonstrate their commitment to ethical data handling and build trust with their customers. As more businesses join the scheme, it is hoped that it will become a widely recognised symbol of data protection and privacy, helping to protect the public's personal data and build a more transparent and trustworthy digital economy.
