Digital Fingerprint – Private Eye or Private Lie?

There are many theories out there that interactive listening devices (i.e. Amazon Alexa, Google Home & Siri) are invading our personal privacy.

Every time I hear this, I have to laugh (a little).

In no way, shape or form am I saying that this is not happening, but we buy these devices and invite them into our home or personal space. The functionality of these devices are to act as our virtual assistant…….so (of course) they are standing by for the command to react to your request.

It may shock some of you, but the World Wide Web has been doing this same ‘act’ for over a decade.

It’s called Digital Fingerprinting.

When we surf the web…….every ad we click, every story we read, every site we visit and every search we make leaves a digital trail. These algorithms identify and generate forms of workflow that track & monitor your every move on the web.

Digital Fingerprinting enables publishers to reap benefits by expanding and extending the value of their content through newer monetization avenues like content publication on paid video portals, social networks sites generating advertising revenues, performance and playback of content across radio, television and promotional events, use of content in advertisements, Television and radio programs and marketing activities among others. Digital Fingerprinting has wide areas of application in the media ecosystem from content monitoring to monetization; including:

  • Content identification for contextual and targeted advertising
  • Retargeting
  • Mechanism for content delivery verification
  • Audience measurement
  • Content filtering and  Broadcasting monitoring
  • Contractual compliance
  • ACR (Automated content recognition) enabling enhanced user experience and greater engagement through second screen applications
  • Content publishing sites (UGC, content portals, social networking etc.) to control copyright infringement and revenue from advertising

While this may sound scary or could be construed as on the edge of creeping (digital term for ‘stalking’), it actually helps you <as the advertiser> so that you’re reaching your perfect audience and cuts out most of the waste that many mediums can’t.

Big brother IS watching, but each one of us some control over what he hears (or sees)