Recently, digital marketing using social media such as Instagram and TikTok Tok become the mainstream of advertisement. It allows companies to target consumers with personalized advertisements. However, this shift has caused significant concerns regarding user privacy. Several major companies have faced scrutiny over their data practices, with some paying hefty fines for violating privacy laws.
Meta (formerly Facebook) and the Cambridge Analytica Scandal
One of the scandalous breaches of privacy in digital marketing is the Cambridge Analytica scandal involving Meta. It was reported in 2018 that data from roughly 87 million Facebook users had been collected without their knowledge. The harvested information was then used to conduct political marketing, which led to outrage across the globe. Meta was thus fined 5 billion dollars by the Federal Trade Commission of the United States and Meta later consented to a class action lawsuit settlement of 725 million dollars. The scandal initiated tighter controls on the protection of data such as GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) in Europe and the CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act) in the U.S.
Breach of GDPR and Google’s Penalties
Beginning with Google, they are under legal examination due to the collecting data practices. In 2019, CNIL fined Google €50 million for not meeting the terms of providing adequate information where the user’s private details were used to imply advertisements. Google was charged for not having adequate user approval before showing ads, thus violating the set rules of GDPR. This instance showcased the growing legal peril that comes with the use of personalized data in digital marketing algorithms.
Amazon, Technology, and Privacy
Concerns have also been linked to Amazon’s targeted advertisement. Their automated voice assistant, Alexa, has led to user privacy issues as well. In 2021, Amazon got sued for $30 million due to the misuse of children’s voice recordings by keeping them on file, thus infringing child protection criteria. This example brought to light how marketers approach the collection, retention, and usage of data.
The Future of Digital Marketing and Privacy
Companies are shifting towards first-party data collection to ensure customers’ privacy, where users voluntarily provide information. In addition, some tech companies like Apple have implemented stricter privacy policies such as App Tracking Transparency (ATT), which limits how apps track user behavior. These changes force marketers to adopt new, privacy-friendly strategies while balancing the need for personalized advertising. As digital marketing evolves, companies need to prioritize transparency while complying with global privacy regulations to maintain consumer trust.
