The Customer Data Platform (CDP) Emerges as The Unlikely Champion of Consumer Data Privacy

ata privacy is an increasing concern for customers and a potential liability for brands. The Customer Data Platform (CDP)—a tool used to fuel personalized marketing—has emerged to become an unlikely ally in the fight to protect consumers’ privacy, says Jake Bennett, Solution Principal, Slalom.

The days of blissful ignorance about how brands use our personal data are over. After the 2016 presidential election, the issue of data privacy has gone from an abstract IT topic to a deeply heated, personal concern. As revelations about Facebook’s lax controls around personal data have surfaced, people are starting to demand more transparency and accountability. In response, state governments are introducing tighter privacy legislation, with California passing the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in 2018. And that’s just the beginning. Similar legislation is being considered in Washington, New York, North Dakota and Utah.