Читать книгу Blockchain Data Analytics For Dummies - Michael G. Solomon - Страница 17

The concern is that personal data has been, and will continue to be, used to classify individuals based on their past behavior. Classifying individuals can be great for marketing and sales purposes. For example, any retailer that can identify engaged couples can target them with ads and coupons for wedding-related items. This type of targeted advertising is generally more productive than general marketing. Advertising budget can be focused on target markets that provide the greatest ROI.

On the other hand, knowing too much about individuals may violate a person’s privacy. One instance of a privacy violation was a result of the Target Corporation’s astute data analysis. Target’s analysts were able to identify expectant mothers early in their pregnancy based on their changing purchasing habits. When a new expectant mother was identified, Target would send unsolicited coupons for baby-related items. In one case, the coupons arrived in the mail before the mother had shared that she was pregnant; her family found out about the pregnancy from a retailer. Privacy is such a difficult issue because legitimate actions can violate a person’s privacy.