Data collection: Children Privacy Ethics

Marketer love their data. Data is a tool that tremendously help the organisation to operate. Data could help in improving and maintaining performance of an organisation. Therefore, it is not unusual for marketer to gather data as much as possible to gain advantage for the organisation. Although, marketer need to realise that there are some restrictions in gathering data from consumers.

One of the most debatable ethics that is prevalent today is privacy. Marketer need to consider whether the data that are collected from consumers are ethically collected, without it breaking the law. Data privacy has become stricter especially with the ever expanding of technology. The internet has become more accessible to people of ages, including children. Hence, this will lead to ethical issues if marketer collecting data from children as children have some protection from data collection. Children cannot consent by themselves as they are seen as vulnerable and cannot make informed decision.

This can be seen in the recent event that happened. YouTube, which is a platform for video sharing has been fined $170 million for collecting children’s data. It was declared that YouTube has been collecting children’s data without consent from parents. YouTube claimed that its website is intended for users that are 13 of age and older, although there are abundant of contents that are intended for younger of age. YouTube was also unanimously voted as a favourite website for children in the age of 2-12.

Through this event, marketer need to put into consideration of data collection. Marketer need to fully realise that the world now has become digital, all ages of people can access it. Therefore, marketer need to keep in mind whether the demographic that they are targeting are children or not to reduce the risk of breaking the children data’s privacy. If the target market are children, collection data will need to have consent to the children’s parents.