THE UTIQ MANIFESTO: PRINCIPLE #2
Enabling a trusted and responsible digital world for everyone
Creating a new reality means collaboration between people, publishers, brands, and regulators. It’s developing new technologies and business models that prioritise user privacy and data protection. It’s about educating users on their rights and responsibilities, empowering them to take back control over their privacy choices.
Our beliefs are clear. They guide our behaviours, business decisions, service development, and the actions of our people, and we hope they can act as agents of change across the industry.
You can watch our manifesto film here
This is the second in a series of posts that delve a little deeper on the principles that underpin Utiq’s purpose.
Principle #2: People first. Always.
We are living in a digital world that offers us unprecedented opportunities to connect, create, and communicate. But we are also living in a digital world that poses significant challenges to our privacy, security, and choice. A world where our personal data is collected, processed, and monetised by countless online businesses. A world where our identity is reduced to a set of inferred attributes, preferences, and behaviours. A world where our humanity and consent is often overlooked or ignored.
But we believe that there is a better way. A way that puts people first. Always.
As a digital advertising industry, we should be passionate about creating meaningful and engaging campaigns that connect with their intended audiences. But at the same time, we must challenge the status quo and accepted norms, where widespread, unconsented data collection and tracking have become ubiquitous and invasive. We believe that privacy, choice, consent, and ultimately a better quality of advertising experience should be the goals of our people-first principle.
Privacy is not only a fundamental human right, but also a competitive advantage for businesses that respect it. Consumers are more likely to trust and buy from companies that are transparent and accountable about how they use their data. Moreover, privacy regulations such as the GDPR and the CCPA are becoming more prevalent and stringent, requiring businesses to comply or face hefty fines and reputational damage.
Choice follows as a further essential aspect of data privacy and a way to empower consumers to control their own data and preferences. Choice means giving consumers the option to opt in or out of personalized content and ads, delete their data at any time, or access and correct their data if needed.
Consent is the cornerstone of data privacy and a key element of building trust with consumers. Consent means giving consumers the option to agree or disagree with how their data is collected, used, and shared. It means giving them the ability to revoke or modify their consent at any time. Consent should be informed, specific, and freely given, not buried in lengthy terms and conditions or obtained through deceptive or coercive practices.
And finally, a better quality experience for online audiences and users would enrich the value exchange between consumers and advertisers alike. This means creating relevant and personalised ads that match interests and needs, delivered in a way that is not intrusive or annoying, but that is creatively engaging and enjoyable.
By embracing people’s rights to privacy, choice, consent and quality of experience, the digital advertising industry can create a more ethical and responsible digital advertising ecosystem.
We have a collective responsibility and opportunity to create positive change in our industry. To create a movement that can create a more ethical and responsible industry. An industry that looks after data rights and recognises humanity over the pursuit of identity. An industry that fosters trust and loyalty between users and advertisers. An industry that benefits everyone.
