Last year's Cambridge Analytica scandal has developed to the point in which many different big data-related problems and strategies have surfaced "the mainstream". The fact that many independent marketing agencies and enterprises started valuing data points is indeed the starting point in regards to the usage of big data and data-related algorithm in digital marketing. Let's analyse how, after GDPR, this is still a gold mine for agencies.
What Are Data Points?
With Data Points we define those packages which combine cookies, site's preferences and searches, combined together in alphanumerical strings which are then processed by native tools by many companies who are working with data science.
Data points have been used by Cambridge Analytica to set up campaigns like the Trump campaign and the Brexit one, resulting in over 80% engagement from their facebook ads, the reason why both campaigns were extremely successful, for such delicate matters.
The Machine Learning Side Of Data
In 2018, it has been stated that there was a drastic increase in hiring Python developers in digital marketing agencies, due to the fact that many were trying to "exploit" data points to better target their ads. In the UK, which was recently elected as the European technology powerhouse, it has been pointed out how machine and deep learning have impacted agencies. In Manchester, eventually, Stephen McCance, operation director at Red Cow Media, have invested over £300.000 in data science-related strategies, leading, of course, to a far bigger awareness of the topic in Europe as a whole.
GDPR, IoT And ML: How Do They Work Together?
Once the Cambridge Analytica scandal happened, the GDPRstrategy which was in place had to add specific sections which were related to this very matter. In fact, big data gathering isn't that simple in the IoT, nowadays, as the site/app/software must state properly whether data points are being collected or stored. Even if machine learning could avoid architectures that are limiting such data collection, GDPR has strictly limited access to R algorithms (the ones, to reference, which are processing those alphanumerical strings mentioned above) when it comes to data points and cookies.
To Conclude
The Cambridge Analytica will be remembered in the future as the biggest step towards proper regulation of big data and personal data in general. Data regulation and awareness have moved massively in the last couple of years, passing from being a completely neutral field to becoming part of our day to day talks and, most importantly, business strategies.
