We’re back with another rundown of the latest news and trends in the world of social media and digital marketing! Today, we’re focusing on what promises to be a hot topic throughout 2021: digital privacy and data collection.
New year, new search engine?
Amid backlash over Google’s data collection practices and monopoly in the search and search advertising market, new search engines are emerging to take their share of the space and appeal to privacy-minded users.
Neeva is a subscription search service that doesn’t show ads or collect user data. Another option, You.com, claims to be a “trusted search engine” aimed at the e-commerce market.
Because Google is the world’s most-used search engine and has years of collected data, it will be difficult for any new search engine to break through. However, any competition that pressures Google to respond with changes will likely make the search experience better for users overall.
Facebook vs. Apple
Changes are coming to Apple’s privacy policies as part of its iOS 14 software update. The update will make users aware of the data they are sharing with any app and allow them to opt-in or out as they choose. As a leading advertiser relying on data collection, Facebook has publically opposed Apple’s privacy changes since they were announced. Facebook’s advertising is effective because it’s able to gather data on consumers both through the Facebook app as well as other apps and websites the user has given Facebook access to.
Apple’s privacy policy updates do not affect any app’s ability to collect data but will require apps to ask permission to track users. Facebook argues that Apple is harming the ability of businesses to effectively advertise at a low cost. Since Facebook (and other social media platforms) rely on advertising for revenue, changes to data collection could require previously free platforms to start charging download subscription fees. It seems that the battle between these two tech giants is just beginning, so we’ll keep you updated on the latest.
Do you have questions about any of these updates and what they could mean for your business? Send us a message or reach out on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter. We’re happy to speak with you about your marketing goals!
