PEOPLE’S INSIGHTS MONTHLY BRIEF: AUGUST & SEPTEMBER
Innovation without Boundaries Photo: epSos.de on Flickr
Introduction
Index
Business - A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
Innovation without Boundaries In today’s tech-driven world, innovation is a necessity for business. It’s a stepping stone for new entrants to the market, and it’s increasingly crucial for established players. To stay relevant in this age of big bang disruption, tech-driven start ups need to continue to innovate, maintain their speed of growth, and predict (and deliver on) the next big thing. Established businesses need to re-examine their business models to address the threats from disruptive players. The ever-evolving digital playground acts as a double-edged sword. It forces businesses to stay on their toes, while also allowing them to experiment with unchartered territories. People are growing increasingly aware of how businesses impact society at large, and a collective conscience is on the rise. They expect businesses to solve today’s big challenges, to become change-makers and to lead the way to a better tomorrow.
Introducing: Innovation without Boundaries
‘BIG BANG DISRUPTION’ In six years, Airbnb has impacted the hospitality industry significantly. Between 2011 and 2013, Airbnb cut the revenues of the hotel industry by 5% in the states where it was most active. Meanwhile, Uber, has the taxi industry in an array, and the auto sector worried that people will be less inclined to own cars in the future.
Yet, Airbnb owns no properties, and Uber owns no cars.
2
Introduction
Index
Business - A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
In this issue of the People’s Insights monthly brief, we explore 9 trends that demonstrate that ‘business as usual’ is dead, and that technology is redefining business models, ethics and responsibilities. Making business a force for good The concept of ‘butterfly effect’ comes to mind here, with some businesses responding – in big ways – to customers’ reactions, and other businesses launching their own movements for good. 1. Delta Air Lines bans big-game trophies – After global backlash over the killing of Cecil the Lion by an American dentist in Africa, Delta Air Lines announced they were banning shipments of big-game trophies.
What is off the hinges of custom, people believe to be off the hinges of reason. - Michel de Montaigne
2. Nike Flyease – In response to a letter from a young boy with cerebral palsy, Nike created a line of shoes for disabled athletes.
Introducing: Innovation without Boundaries
3
Introduction
Index
Business - A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
3. Burger King’s ‘McWhopper’ proposal to McDonald’s – Burger King invited rival McDonald’s to come together for International Peace Day to jointly create the ‘McWhopper’ burger. 4. Google’s Project Sunroof – Google now lets people map the solar potential of their roofs, right from their homes. 5. Chivas Regal’s ‘The Venture’ – The liquor brand brings back its innovation challenge for a second season, to encourage social entrepreneurship.
Building ecosystems If businesses don’t evolve in response to changing market conditions and people’s evolving needs, they risk losing their competitive edge. This is especially true for leading social networks and apps – which need to build ecosystems to keep attracting people (old and new) and to develop revenue streams. 6. Twitter’s ‘Buy Now’ button – Twitter is now expanding its ‘Buy’ button to allow anyone to sell via tweets. 7. Uber’s ‘Arriving Now’ and Airbnb’s ‘Pineapple’ – Coincidently, both start ups are experimenting with their own print magazines.
Introducing: Innovation without Boundaries
Photo: chico945 on Flickr
4
Introduction
Index
Business - A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
Digital privacy – how much is at stake? Social networks may have largely proliferated almost every aspect of civilian and business life, but worries over data privacy and misuse remain one of the biggest concerns among businesses, governments and citizens alike. We seem to be at a cross-roads of the privacy issue. What happens though, as more and more businesses that promise transparency and privacy get embroiled in data-related crises? 8. AshleyMadison Hack – The hacking of AshleyMadison, a website that enables extra-marital affairs, and the subsequent leak of its database demonstrates the devastating impact of privacy breaches. 9. Twitter shuts down Politwoops – Twitter revoked access to its API to Politwoops, a website that archived politicians’ deleted tweets, raising concerns about Twitter going against transparency.
Photo: Paul Downey on Flickr
Introducing: Innovation without Boundaries
5
Introduction
Index
Business - A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
Making business a force for good 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Delta Air Lines bans big-game trophies Nike Flyease Burger King’s ‘McWhopper’ proposal to McDonald’s Google’s Project Sunroof Chivas Regal’s ‘The Venture
11 16 20 24 27
Diversifying to create more business value 6. Twitter’s ‘Buy Now’ button 7. Uber’s ‘Arriving Now & Airbnb’s ‘Pineapple’
31 34
Digital privacy – how much is at stake? 8. AshleyMadison Hack 9. Twitter shuts down Politwoops
38 42
Bonus Insights
45
Index
6
Photo: Leo Gr端bler on Flickr
Making business a force for good
Introduction
Index
Business - A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
Delta Air Lines bans big-game trophies Public outcry over an international incident often has the power to spark debates around seldom – discussed or controversial topics. One notable such incident from this year has been the hunting down and killing of Cecil the Lion – a much-loved and famous member of Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park – by an American dentist. After the dentist was identified as the person who allegedly lured Cecil out of his protected enclosure to kill him, the internet was flooded with incensed reactions from across the world, from civilians and animal welfare activists. So impassioned was the backlash that barely a week after the incident, Delta Air Lines, which flies direct to South Africa, announced that it would no longer allow the shipment of endangered animal trophies (or big-game trophies) on its flights. Delta’s move was a direct result of a change.org petition urging the airline to end the shipment of big-game trophies. With its decision, Delta is joining (and inspiring) an increasing number of airlines who have taken a stand against safari hunting, and in favor of conservation of Africa’s celebrated Big Five: the lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo and rhino.
Delta Air Lines bans big-game trophies
The petition on change.org
8
Introduction
Index
Business - A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
Public sentiment is pushing companies to rethink their business policies The hunting of Cecil by a tourist – brought to light the significant role airlines play in propagating trophy kills. Export of exotic animal hunting trophies is big business, both for the hunters and the airlines that carry them in their cargo. It’s interesting to note that a few months before the incident, Delta issued a statement saying that they would continue the shipment of trophy kills, as long as they were legal. The intense backlash post Cecil’s death pushed the company to change its stand. In addition to Delta, American airlines and United airways have made similar announcements. An international group of airlines is calling for an industrywide ban against carry hunting trophies.
Via Consumerist
The incident also triggered reactions from various establishments – the Empire State Building paid its first ever video tribute to honor Cecil and other endangered animals; and plush-toy maker Ty launched ‘Cecil the Lion’ toys to raise funds for endangered animals. The internet has resulted in a world where news has no borders. Businesses are more scrutinized than ever for their behaviors, and are expected to act in a socially responsible manner. Delta’s change of heart is indicative of the growing trend – or rather, priority – amongst companies to become more purpose oriented. via Washington Post Also read: Customers boycott UPS and FedEx after firms REFUSE to stop shipping big game hunt trophies Delta Air Lines bans big-game trophies
9
Introduction
Index
Business - A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
Nike Flyease Matthew Walzer penned an open letter to Nike CEO Mark Parker in the summer of 2012, about living with cerebral palsy and the difficulty in tying shoe laces. Little did he know that it would be the start of a long association with Nike. In his letter, Matthew described how despite overcoming several physical challenges, something as simple as tying his shoes was among the most difficult tasks for him. As someone planning to attend college soon, the concern was real and pressing for Matthew. His simple request to
Nike was to consider designing a shoe that would enable him and countless others like him to overcome this challenge and be more independent. His letter, simply known as the #NikeLetter, quickly became viral on social media. It caught the attention of Mark Parker, who promptly alerted Nike’s senior director of athletic innovation Tobie Hatfield. This led to a three-year development process, resulting in the creation of the Zoom Soldier 8 Flyease - a new line of footwear with an easy-entry mechanism that people with muscle disabilities can wear without any difficulty, and most importantly, on their own.
Nike Flyease
Originally posted at Matthew’s blog
10
Introduction
Index
Business - A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
Listening – and acting – to make a difference When Tobie Hatfield came across the letter, he was incidentally working with Paralympians to address the same challenges Matthew faced, and also with the Challenged Athletes Foundation. Matthew’s letter inspired his team to further innovate and make the shoe available in the market for everyday people. He invited Matthew on board and with his inputs, perfected the Flyease technology for its special line of shoes. Hatfield says, “The main thing was about him getting in the
shoes, adjusting the shoes, closing the shoes, and then be able to get out of the shoes, all by himself.” The Zoom Soldier 8 Flyease launched earlier this year. It was inspired by Matthew’s favorite basketball star LeBron James. And, Nike sent the shoes to two U.S. basketball teams participating in the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games. The Flyease technology will next be used to make running shoes for disabled athletes. The shoe could be a life-changer for many people – and brings to life Nike’s motto - If you have a body, you are an athlete.
Nike Flyease
Matthew with the Flyease prototype, and the Zoom Soldier 8 FLYEASE. Photo: Nike
11
Introduction
Index
Business - A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
He inspired us at Nike to be able to bring something special for the masses. I think it’s an unbelievable story, and I’m very honored and very blessed that my shoe is part of the whole project. The inspiration that he gave us is going to last for a lifetime. LeBron James Basketball Player
Nike Flyease
12
Introduction
Index
Business - A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
Burger King’s ‘McWhopper’ proposal to McDonald’s It might be the age of smart partnerships and collaboration, but it’s hard to imagine some rival brands working together. Take fast-food chains Burger King and McDonald’s, for example. In a recent campaign though, that’s exactly what Burger King suggested – that the two come together to create the ‘McWhopper’, a fusion of their bestselling Big Mac and Whopper burgers. Burger King suggested this as a way to ‘settle the beef’ in honor of International Day of Peace, observed by the United Nations on September 21st. The initiative involved operating a pop-up restaurant for one day at Atlanta – mid-way from Burger King’s HQ at Miami and McDonald’s HQ in Chicago. The pop-up restaurant would be staffed by employees of both companies, and the branding would be a mash-up of the two companies’ brand elements. The larger purpose of this collaboration was to raise awareness for Peace One Day, a non-profit that helped establish the annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence.
Burger King’s ‘McWhopper’ Proposal to McDonald’s
twitter.com/BurgerKing
13
Introduction
Index
Business - A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
Burger King launched the campaign with full-page print ads in The Chicago Tribune and The New York Times, which read, “We come in peace. We know we’ve had our petty differences, but how about we call a cease-fire on these so-called ‘burger-wars’?” Burger King also published a video and a website explaining how the initiative would work and how customers could pay for the burger – by simply pledging to ‘end the beef’ with someone.
People loved it. The McWhopper proposal dominated conversations on the day, as people shared their reactions to the concept and speculated on McDonald’s response. More importantly, Burger King’s proposal brought
people’s attention to the upcoming International Peace Day. The campaign also established Burger King as the ‘good guy’ leading change and peace-keeping efforts with its larger rival McDonald’s.
Watch Burger King’s proposal
Burger King’s ‘McWhopper’ Proposal to McDonald’s
14
Introduction
Index
Business - A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
McDonald’s rejection = a missed opportunity? McDonald’s rejected the proposal on Facebook, with a note from CEO Steve Easterbrook. Rather than partnering with Burger King to create the McWhopper, McDonald’s proposed a larger more meaningful effort to address the suffering of war: “We love the intention but think our two brands could do something bigger to make a difference.” People following the incident found the response to be ‘smug,’ and lent their support to Burger King. In fact, so many people took Burger King’s ‘side’ on social media, that it seems McDonald’s may have missed an opportunity or ‘lost’ this battle with Burger King. Burger King ultimately went ahead with its Peace Day plans, partnering with Denny’s, Krystal, Giraffas and Wayback Burgers. And McDonald’s led a multi-industry effort to support the UN’s World Food Programme in raising awareness about the impact of food assistance, on International Peace Day. Burger King participated and applauded McDonald’s efforts. But these developments made far fewer headlines than the initial proposal and rejection. These represent the majority of the responses to McDonald’s rejection (1, 2 and 3).
Burger King’s ‘McWhopper’ Proposal to McDonald’s
15
Introduction
Index
Business - A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
The thing I love about the McWhopper Project, is it walks the walk, it leads by example and demonstrates a genuine commitment to Peace Day, and a more peaceful and sustainable world. Corporate activism on this scale creates mass awareness and awareness creates action and action saves lives. Jeremy Gilley Founder, Peace One Day
Burger King’s ‘McWhopper’ Proposal to McDonald’s
16
Introduction
Index
Business - A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
Google’s Project Sunroof While more people are becoming familiar with the concept of rooftop solar, they are not as quick to install solar power systems in their homes. It seems to be a complicated process with a steep learning curve – from figuring out how much energy one’s home can produce to finding the right solar power partner. Google knows this – because these are the kind of questions people enter into its search engine while looking for information around solar power. The rising inclination towards solar-powered homes – and the confusion around it – gave Google engineering lead Carl Elkin the idea for Project Sunroof . Project Sunroof is a new tool that answers people’s solar energy-related questions with personalized recommendations and suggestions. Users simply need to provide their address and average monthly electric bill, and Project Sunroof uses existing data from Google Earth and Google Maps to determine how much energy a user’s roof receives, how many solar panels they may need, and how much money they could save. As a final step, it also suggests solar power providers within the user’s vicinity that they could get in touch with. At present, Google is testing Project Sunroof in three cities – Boston, San Francisco and Fresno – with plans to eventually introduce it worldwide.
Google’s Project Sunroof
Watch Introducing Project Sunroof
17
Introduction
Index
Business - A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
Google is broadening its environment stewardship and sustainability offer. As one of the world’s largest and most influential corporations, Google is expected to lead action for some of the most pressing challenges the world faces today, like clean energy. In 2011, Google created a $280 million fund with American solar company SolarCity to support residential solar installations. In 2013, Google financed a part of South Africa’s largest solar power plant.
With Project Sunroof, Google is simplifying solar power for people, with easy-to-access and relevant, personalized, information. This could significantly help more people determine the potential of solar energy in their own homes. The big question comes down to this – can Google do for solar energy what it did for search engine?
Photo: Google
Google’s Project Sunroof
18
Introduction
Index
Business - A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
I’ve always been surprised at how many people I encounter who think that “my roof isn’t sunny enough for solar,” or “solar is just too expensive.” Certainly many of them are missing out on a chance to save money and be green. Carl Elkin Engineering Lead for Project Sunroof
Google’s Project Sunroof
19
Introduction
Index
Business - A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
Chivas Regal’s ‘The Venture’ Start-up culture has rapidly caught on in the past decade, and a sub-culture has grown within it – that of social entrepreneurship. Social entrepreneurship involves building businesses that, in addition to making profits, also focus on driving positive change by addressing social problems. Young entrepreneurs are driving this trend, and the number of social enterprises in the world is on the rise. For example, in the UK 70,000 social enterprises contribute £18.5 billion to the economy (2012). Large corporations are eager to encourage this trend and support social businesses, as part of their own corporate social responsibility, brand purpose, innovation and business diversification. Take liquor giant Chivas Regal’s The Venture – a global project aimed at funding start-ups that benefit local communities or solve global problems. The Venture is a global social innovation challenge that gives entrepreneurs the chance to win a portion of $1 million, participate in an accelerator program and gain access mentors. Launched in 2014, The Venture is back for season two.
Chivas Regal’s ‘The Venture’
Photo: Chivas The Venture
Chivas: Win the right way
20
Introduction
Index
Business - A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
16 social entrepreneurs, 16 countries Earlier this year, social entrepreneurs from 16 countries participated in the final round of The Venture, pitching their idea to judges and competing for funds. Their experience, and the shortlisting of the candidates has been captured in a video-series (available on YouTube). 16 winners, from 16 countries participated in the accelerator program. Chivas also partnered with crowdfunding site Indiegogo, to give people a chance to participate and support their favorite entrepreneurs. On Indiegogo, people could vote to tell Chivas how to divide $250,000 from the $1 million prize money. In addition, people could give funds directly to the social entrepreneurs – each entrepreneur had their own Indiegogo crowdfunding page. In all, the entrepreneurs raised US 1.1 million. The contest culminated with Chilean food distribution enterprise Algramo emerging as the winner, and was given the largest share of the $1 million fund - $ 300,000 – to further develop their idea. The first seasons was so popular – with 1,000 entries from across the world – that Chivas decided to launch it again. Fresh applications are already being accepted, and the winner is slated to be announced in 2016. Chivas also announced plans to launch an Australian version of The Venture. The five finalists on The Venture. Photo: The Venture
Chivas Regal’s ‘The Venture’
21
Introduction
Index
Business - A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
More and more people today want to be actively involved in making a difference, and many are seeking the entrepreneurial route to do so. There’s a growing awareness that business can be a force for good, that purpose-driven businesses can change lives for the better. People are beginning to realize that it’s difficult for non-profits to alone effect change at a large scale – businesses need to step in to accelerate it.
Collaborative social innovation challenges can be a good way for large businesses to support social entrepreneurship. Read about a similar initiative by Coca-Cola, the Coca-Cola Founders Program – through which the company is partnering with entrepreneurs, and using its own scale and expertise to help them achieve scale.
The 16 social entrepreneurs participating in The Venture, facebook.com/livewithchivalry
Chivas Regal’s ‘The Venture’
22
Photo: John Morgan on Flickr
Building Ecosystems
Introduction
Index
Business – A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
Twitter’s ‘Buy Now’ button E-commerce has grown exponentially is now a $220 billion industry, growing at almost 20% per year. Social networks want a share of this – Facebook and Pinterest have been testing ways to incorporate ecommerce within their networks. And joining this list is Twitter. Twitter recently announced that it will be adding ‘Buy Now’ buttons in tweets for users and merchants in the U.S.. This feature was first tested last September – users were allowed to make purchases directly from Twitter, without having to visit an external website. Twitter has partnered with e-commerce giants Bigcommerce, Demandware, payment service Stripe Relay and retailers and brands like Best Buy, Adidas and PacSun for this venture Twitter’s other e-commerce pilot projects include Twitter Offers (which work by syncing offers directly to credit or debit cards) – and curator’s collections (which allows celebrities to create a ‘shop-front’ of their products on Twitter).
Twitter’s ‘Buy Now’ Button
Photo: Twitter
24
Introduction
Index
Business – A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
Are people ready for social commerce? There is data to support that e-commerce on the mobile, or m-commerce, is on the rise - 50.3% of e-commerce traffic originates mobile devices and 43% of those who shop on smartphones make a purchase. But this is when people use their mobile devices specifically to make a purchase. Social networks are people’s social sanctuaries – they’re used to make and maintain social connections, and to share their lives with their peers. People are already engaging with brands and advertisements on social networks, but how receptive will they be on being sold something directly within their personal space? The key is for social networks to integrate e-commerce in a non-intrusive manner, and for brands to find creative ways to promote these .
Photo: Twitter
Twitter’s ‘Buy Now’ Button
25
Introduction
Index
Business – A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
Our customers live on Twitter, so giving them an easy way to buy products that they discover in their Twitter feed, without leaving the app, is a no-brainer. Because social media is our single most important marketing tool today, social commerce is obviously a key part of our overarching strategy. Anything we can do to shorten the gap between social engagement and shopping is a top priority. Gary Schoenfeld PacSun CEO
Twitter’s ‘Buy Now’ Button
26
Introduction
Index
Business – A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
Uber’s ‘Arriving Now’ & Airbnb’s ‘Pineapple’ Brands that are successful in the sharing economy space and exploring ways to strengthen their communities and tell their stories. Uber recently launched ‘Arriving Now’ – an in-car magazine for Uber rides in New York. The first issue of Arriving Now coincided with Fashion Week New York in September, and is packed with “pro tips, hotspots, and exclusive details about upcoming promotions.” Similarly, Airbnb, rolled out the first issue of its magazine Pineapple last winter. Pineapple is sold in bookstores and retailers across North America and Europe, and was made available to Airbnb hosts in the 30,000 cities and 192 countries where it operates. Both companies have a strong user base. The exploration of printmagazines seems to be a way to further strengthen their USPs (especially in the case of Uber which has re-coded the taxi experience), and to create a platform for rich stories (in the case of Airbnb). And, as some point out – to experiment with an additional source of revenue. Photo: Arriving Now
Uber’s ‘Arriving Now’ & Airbnb’s ‘Pineapple’
27
Introduction
Index
Business – A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
The potential benefits of introducing a magazine are exciting. The concept has been around in the airline industry for both. It’s a natural next step for Uber and Airbnb, to help their communities explore their own city or cities they are traveling to. And it gives brands an avenue to reach Uber and Airbnb’s savvy much-coveted customer base. While this is Uber’s first ever in-car magazines for customers, it isn’t the first time the company has ventured into content publishing. In March this year, Uber rolled out Momentum – a quarterly magazine for its drivers. An employee communication of sorts, Momentum contains articles on health & wellness, information about the new Uber-city Austin, as well as tips from a seasoned Uber driver. But’s worth noting – that Airbnb hasn’t launched a second edition yet. This could imply the experiment didn’t meet expectations – especially considering Airbnb’s Pineapple was launched a year ago. It will be interesting to see how Arriving Now pans out for Uber.
Uber’s ;Arriving Now’ & Airbnb’s ‘Pineapple’
Photo: Airbnb
28
Introduction
Index
Business – A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
The primary audience for the magazine is our community around the world who want to experience cities in new ways. It gets under the skin of cities in a way that people really desire these days. Christopher Lukezic Pineapple Publisher
Uber’s ‘Arriving Now’ & Airbnb’s ‘Pineapple’
29
Photo: Sebastiaan ter Burg on Flickr
Digital privacy – How much is at stake?
Introduction
Index
Business – A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
AshleyMadison Hack The number of high-profile cyber attacks – from Sony Pictures’ November 2014 hack to health-insurer Premera Blue Cross’ hack earlier in March 2015 – have been on the rise in the recent past, and seem to be getting more serious with each case. In July this year, another instance of a cyber attack that captured people’s attention globally was the hacking of AshleyMadison, a dating website that caters to married people looking for extramarital affairs. The hackers attacked the website and stole the company’s user database. Then, they threatened to make it public if owner Avid Life Media didn’t permanently shut down AshleyMadison and its sister website, Established Men. Avid Life Media refused to comply and the hackers leaked more than 25 gigabytes of data on August 18th and August 20th. Sensitive information like name, address, phone numbers and partial credit card details of more than 33 million users were compromised, along with internal company information. via The Guardian
AshleyMadison Hack
31
Introduction
Index
Business – A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
The hack led to AshleyMadison being sued for $500 million in class-action lawsuits by users of the website. A month after the leak, AshleyMadison’s CEO Noel Biderman resigned.
Rise of the moral digital vigilante The hackers who call themselves Impact Team said that they disapproved of AshleyMadison’s business model of encouraging infidelity by arranging affairs between married people. They also criticized the company’s policy of charging a $19 fee from users for what they claim is complete deletion of all data, and failing to actually do so. In their letter, they wrote , “Too bad for those men, they’re cheating dirtbags and deserve no such discretion. Too bad for ALM, you promised secrecy but didn’t deliver.” Several conversation threads on social media seem to echo this sentiment – that people indulging in adultery deserve to have their private lives on display, and that they “had it coming”. Passionate reactions like these fail to consider the larger privacy implications. Can our online footprint remain private? And, does data that we delete actually get deleted permanently? Photo: Barn Images on Flickr
AshleyMadison Hack
32
Introduction
Index
Business – A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
Flirting with data People are increasingly dependent on their smartphones and devices to communicate and get things done. These devices collect extremely personal data. People willingly part with personal information for convenience and the impression that their information is secure. The recent hacks are increasingly shattering this sense of security, and raising serious questions. The AshleyMadison hack in particular showed that data theft can lead to more than financial damage – it can affect relationships, marriages and reputations. Experts predict that cyber attacks will only get worse in the coming years – what will that mean for data privacy in the future, for civilians, businesses and governments?
Also see : Toronto police report two suicides associated with AshleyMadison hack and the EU’s landmark ruling that invalidates the Safe Harbor data transfer agreement between the U.S. and Europe AshleyMadison Hack
cio.com
33
Introduction
Index
Business – A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
Twitter shuts down Politwoops Politicians and those serving in public office are expected to be transparent about their activities – and this includes what they say on their social networks. The Sunlight Foundation is a non-profit that promotes transparency in governance and works to make government data available to the public. It launched Politwoops in 2012. Acting as a tracking service, Politwoops archived the deleted tweets of politicians and diplomats on its website. It accessed these deleted tweets through Twitter’s API. The service covers 30 countries, with the Sunlight Foundation tracking US leaders and the Open State Foundation tracking leaders in 30 other countries. In August 2015, Twitter revoked its API access for the 30 countries – months after it revoked access for the US version of Politwoops – citing a violation of its basic user agreement. In its statement, Twitter said, “Honoring the expectation of user privacy for all accounts is a priority for us, whether the user is anonymous or a member of Congress.”
Twitter shuts down Politwoops
via cityam.com
34
Introduction
Index
Business – A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
Twitter’s decision to revoke Politwoops’ API access received some criticism. The Sunlight Foundation even released a eulogy for Politwoops soon after the shutdown.
The criticism arises from Twitter’s association as a journalistic tool. Its everything-is-open-here nature is what, in part, led to its mass appeal. By cutting off a service that informs people of statements that politicians delete – for whatever reason – Twitter can be seen as going against transparency and accountability. There’s also speculation that this move could be to retain powerful figures on its website, as Twitter struggles to maintain growth of its user base. While it can be argued that Twitter is only staying true to its privacy policies and treating everyone on its website as an equal, there remains the larger question of whether
public figures like politicians should have the same privileges as civilians when it comes to privacy on social networks. Getting into a position of political power by default makes individuals more accountable – and being scrutinized for everything they say comes with the power they hold. If a politician wants to delete a tweet because he wants to dissociate himself from what he said, don’t his followers – voters – have the right to know?
This also opens up the debate of whether a person can be held accountable for simply sharing something that a politician has said and later deleted on Twitter. It will be interesting to watch how far Twitter will extend this rule, and how it will handle cases of quotes and screenshots of deleted tweets – which will surely continue across the web.
Twitter shuts down Politwoops
Some deleted tweets on Politwoops
35
Introduction
Index
Business – A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
What elected politicians publicly say is a matter of public record. Even when tweets are deleted, it’s part of parliamentary history. These tweets were once posted and later deleted. What politicians say in public should be available to anyone. This is not about typos but it is a unique insight on how messages from elected politicians can change without notice. Arjan El Fassed Director, Open State Foundation
Twitter shuts down Politwoops
36
Bonus insights from MSLGROUP
Introduction
Index
Business – A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
The Content Shot The Content Shot highlights one inspiring branded content initiative every week, and identifies reasons for its success. Prepared by the Publicis Consultants Net Intelligenz team in Paris, the newsletter is a great way stay up-to-date – and to practice your French! The latest issue examines the #ConnectedSeries, a crowdsourcing collaboration between Samsung and Vimeo, where 10 filmmakers were invited to create short films that explore creativity through technology. Why is it a success? The project involved artists from within the Vimeo community, and gave them the creative freedom to express themselves. A Tumblr launch ensured relevant visibility within the social community. #ConnectedSeries explores the relation between technology and social connectedness with stories that capture people’s imagination. The Content Shot is available as an email newsletter in French. View the archive and sign up here.
The Content Shot
38
Introduction
Index
Business – A force for good
Building ecosystems
Digital privacy
Bonus insights
About People’s Insights
About People’s Insights People’s Insights is a collection of inspiring initiatives, insights and foresights shared by MSLGROUP’s SPRINTers – our global team of 100+ strategic planners, researchers and insights experts. People’s Insights covers the latest trends in engagement on both consumer and corporate sides. We feature the best of these initiatives as People’s Insights monthly briefs, and original insights and foresights – from our SPRINTers and other MSLGROUP experts - in our People’s Insights reports. We share these on our social platforms and distribute freely to inspire more engaging campaigns. Check out our latest report, Data In. Data Out. Transforming Big Data into Smart Ideas. * People’s Insights is available as a blog, powerpoint decks, infographics, white papers and magazines, a Kindle eBook and even an iPad app. Follow us on Twitter at @PeoplesLab or subscribe to our newsletter to receive our monthly briefs and quarterly magazines.
About People’s Insights
39
Thank you!
For more, visit: peopleslab.mslgroup.com/peoplesinsights
40