#Analytics and Consumer Privacy

[khushidubeyblog]

Ethics and Compliance in Business Analytics: Navigating Data Privacy for PGDM Students

[alyfoxxxen]

How to Stop Your Data From Being Used to Train AI | WIRED

[foodcourt-billing-software]

Prepaid Cards Revolutionize Cashless Dining in Food Courts

Introduction to Prepaid Cards

In today's fast-paced world, convenience is paramount, especially when it comes to dining out. Prepaid cards have emerged as a revolutionary solution, offering a seamless and efficient way to enjoy cashless dining experiences. The concept of prepaid cards is not new, but their integration into food courts has sparked a significant shift in consumer behavior.

Cashless Dining Trends

The global trend towards cashless transactions has gained momentum in recent years, driven by advancements in technology and changing consumer preferences. In food courts, where speed and convenience are key, the adoption of cashless payment methods has become increasingly prevalent.

Challenges in Traditional Payment Methods

Traditional payment methods, such as cash or credit/debit cards, pose several challenges in food court settings. Cash transactions can lead to long queues and delays, while credit/debit card payments may be inconvenient for both consumers and vendors due to processing fees and minimum purchase requirements.

The Emergence of Prepaid Cards in Food Courts

To address these challenges, food courts are embracing prepaid card systems, revolutionizing the way customers pay for their meals. By preloading funds onto a card, customers can enjoy quick and hassle-free transactions, eliminating the need for cash or physical cards.

How Prepaid Cards Work

Prepaid cards operate on a simple premise: customers load funds onto their cards either online or at designated kiosks within the food court. They can then use these funds to make purchases at any participating vendor within the food court.

Advantages of Prepaid Cards in Food Courts

The benefits of prepaid cards in food courts are manifold. For consumers, they offer unmatched convenience and speed, allowing them to make purchases with a simple tap or swipe. Additionally, prepaid cards provide consumers with greater control over their spending, helping them stick to their budgets more effectively.

For food court operators, prepaid cards streamline transaction processing, reducing wait times and enhancing overall efficiency. By centralizing payments through a single platform, vendors can also gain valuable insights into consumer behavior and preferences, enabling them to tailor their offerings accordingly.

Enhanced Customer Experience

One of the key advantages of prepaid cards in food courts is the enhanced customer experience they provide. By minimizing wait times and offering seamless transactions, prepaid cards ensure that customers spend less time queuing and more time enjoying their meals.

Moreover, prepaid cards enable food court operators to implement customized loyalty programs, rewarding customers for their continued patronage. By offering incentives such as discounts or freebies, operators can further enhance the overall dining experience and foster customer loyalty.

Security and Safety Measures

Security is a top priority in any payment system, and prepaid cards are no exception. With robust encryption protocols and built-in fraud detection mechanisms, prepaid card systems offer consumers peace of mind knowing that their financial information is safe and secure.

Additionally, prepaid cards eliminate the need for consumers to carry large amounts of cash, reducing the risk of theft or loss. In the event that a card is lost or stolen, most prepaid card providers offer 24/7 customer support and the ability to freeze or deactivate the card remotely.

Adoption and Acceptance

The adoption of prepaid cards in food courts is steadily increasing, driven by the growing demand for cashless payment options. As more consumers become accustomed to the convenience and benefits of prepaid cards, food court vendors are increasingly recognizing the need to offer these payment methods to remain competitive.

Impact on Business Operations

From a business perspective, the integration of prepaid card systems can have a transformative impact on operations. By automating transaction processing and streamlining administrative tasks, vendors can reduce overhead costs and improve overall efficiency.

Moreover, prepaid card systems provide vendors with valuable data insights, allowing them to track sales trends, identify popular menu items, and target specific customer demographics more effectively. This data-driven approach enables vendors to make informed decisions that drive business growth and profitability.

Future Trends and Innovations

Looking ahead, the future of prepaid cards in food courts looks promising, with continued advancements in technology driving innovation and customization. From mobile payment solutions to personalized loyalty programs, vendors are constantly seeking new ways to enhance the customer experience and stay ahead of the competition.

Challenges and Concerns

Despite the many benefits of prepaid cards, there are also challenges and concerns that must be addressed. Chief among these is the need to ensure consumer privacy and data security. As prepaid card systems become more sophisticated, it is essential for vendors to implement robust privacy policies and security measures to protect customer information.

Additionally, accessibility remains a concern for some consumers, particularly those who may not have access to smartphones or digital payment methods. To address this issue, food courts must ensure that alternative payment options are available to accommodate all customers.

Case Studies and Success Stories

Numerous food courts around the world have already embraced prepaid card systems with great success. From small-scale vendors to large multinational chains, businesses of all sizes have reported significant improvements in transaction processing times, customer satisfaction, and overall revenue.

For example, a recent case study conducted by a major food court operator found that the implementation of prepaid card systems resulted in a 30% increase in sales and a 20% reduction in wait times. These impressive results demonstrate the tangible benefits that prepaid cards can

offer to both consumers and businesses alike.

Consumer Education and Awareness

Despite the growing popularity of prepaid cards, there is still a need for consumer education and awareness. Many consumers may be unfamiliar with how prepaid cards work or may have misconceptions about their usage and benefits. As such, food courts must invest in educational campaigns to inform consumers about the advantages of prepaid cards and how to use them effectively.

Conclusion

In conclusion, prepaid cards are revolutionizing the way consumers pay for their meals in food courts. By offering unmatched convenience, speed, and security, prepaid cards are transforming the dining experience for both customers and vendors alike. As the adoption of prepaid cards continues to grow, food courts are poised to reap the benefits of improved efficiency, increased revenue, and enhanced customer satisfaction.

We hope you enjoyed reading our blog posts about food court billing solutions. If you want to learn more about how we can help you manage your food court business, please visit our website here. We are always happy to hear from you and answer any questions you may have.

You can reach us by phone at +91 9810078010 or by email at ats.fnb@gmail.com. Thank you for your interest in our services.

FAQs

1. Are prepaid cards accepted at all vendors in the food court?

Yes, prepaid cards can typically be used at any participating vendor within the food court.

2. Can I reload funds onto my prepaid card?

Yes, most prepaid card systems allow users to reload funds either online or at designated kiosks within the food court.

3. Is my personal information secure when using a prepaid card?

Yes, prepaid card systems employ robust security measures to protect customer information and prevent unauthorized access.

4. Are there any fees associated with using a prepaid card?

Some prepaid card providers may charge nominal fees for certain services, such as reloading funds or replacing lost or stolen cards.

5. Can I earn rewards or loyalty points with a prepaid card?

Yes, many prepaid card systems offer rewards or loyalty programs that allow users to earn points or discounts on their purchases.

[toriaaniin]

Integrity Behind the Curtain; A Response to a Thoughtful Comment

Before I dive into the main reflection below, I want to take a moment to say thank you — truly — to everyone who’s been reading, engaging with, and thoughtfully responding to my Optics Series. Whether you’ve been quietly nodding along or jumping into the comment threads with your own insights, I see you. Your willingness to sit with the nuance, to hold space for multiple truths, and to honour both the emotional weight and the humanity behind all of this means more than you know. This next reflection is sparked by one of those thoughtful responses — and it feels like the perfect moment to extend that gratitude outward. 🤍

Someone left a beautiful comment on my last post (The Cost of Going Underground), and I’ve been sitting with through the day:

I love your deep analytical questioning on all this. I have a theory that just maybe Luke's reputation within the industry hasn't been as tarnished as it appears outwardly because... as it's been widely speculated that Netflix, Shondaland, and many in the industry know the truth BTS. And if a person like Luke can maintain his integrity and this facade, I think it speaks volumes of his character and his versatility of skills which could lead to many more open doors and opportunities once the dust settles after the NDA ends. Also, there's a clear social construct that actors have long been held to a higher level of accountability not only in their public roles, but also in their very private personal lives — with everything and anything from weight, diet, clothing choices, etc. becoming fodder for public consumption, driven by paparazzi, magazines and now social media. I think we as fans and consumers also need to check ourselves and moderate our expectations because at the end of the day, Luke & Nic are human beings. Outside of their jobs as actors, they have the right to, and deserve space to, live life as everyday people like the rest of us. I'm aware I'm also being hypocritical because I'm on this ship waiting patiently to reach our destination. But I do not and will not invade Lukolas’ privacy to push the ship forward like some have (aka the red devil). So again, I thank you and other key Lukola bloggers for your deep dives and looking at what may be happening from different perspectives — encouraging open minds, patience, tolerance and respect. ✌

First — to the person who wrote this: thank you. Your words felt like a quiet lighthouse in the fog, reminding us why we care and how we can still care ethically.

Your point about the difference between public perception and industry knowledge is such an important one. NDAs, strategic silences, and PR fog make it almost impossible for the public to see clearly — but behind the scenes? The right people often do know the truth. And they’re watching who crumbles, who plays along, and who manages to hold the line without losing themselves in the chaos. If Luke has managed to endure this year — to weather misperceptions while continuing to show up for work, for people, for Nic — that does speak volumes. Not just about his professionalism, but about his quiet integrity.

But here’s the part I’ve really been thinking about:

"We as fans and consumers also need to check ourselves…"

That’s the heart of it, isn’t it?

We live in a time where everyone wants clarity, now. We want a clean headline, a definitive answer, a bold label to slap on a situation. And if something feels muddy or uncertain? It makes people uncomfortable. So they reach for the easiest narrative — even if it’s surface-level, spoon-fed, or deliberately misleading. It's easier than sitting in the unknown. Easier than entertaining multiple truths. Easier than being wrong.

And I see it in the Lukola fandom too. There’s so much beauty here — so many curious, kind, intelligent people — but there’s also a real fear of ambiguity. Of being fooled. Of getting it wrong. And that fear has caused fractures. Policing. Dismissiveness. People retreating into corners, clinging to one version of the story because that feels safer than the messiness of critical thought.

But here’s the thing: it’s okay not to know everything. It’s okay to ask questions, change your mind, re-evaluate, and see patterns where others don’t — as long as we’re doing it with compassion and respect.

Nicola and Luke are public figures, yes. But they’re also people. And like all people, they deserve the space to live through a complicated chapter without being picked apart by people who demand constant clarity. That doesn’t mean we stop looking. It means we look with care. It means we seek truth — not just content.

So thank you again to the commenter for naming what so many of us are feeling. For holding that beautiful tension between curiosity and compassion. Between fandom and ethics. Between shipping and humanity.

There’s room for all of it — if we let there be.

Aaniin Xxx

[mariacallous]

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has canceled plans to introduce new rules designed to limit the ability of US data brokers to sell sensitive information about Americans, including financial data, credit history, and Social Security numbers.

The CFPB proposed the new rule in early December under former director Rohit Chopra, who said the changes were necessary to combat commercial surveillance practices that “threaten our personal safety and undermine America’s national security.”

The agency quietly withdrew the proposal on Tuesday morning, publishing a notice in the Federal Register declaring the rule no longer “necessary or appropriate.”

The CFPB received more than 600 comments from the public this year concerning the proposal, titled Protecting Americans from Harmful Data Broker Practices. The rule was crafted to ensure that data brokers obtain Americans’ consent before selling or sharing sensitive personal information, including financial data such as income. US credit agencies are already required to abide by such regulations under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, one of the nation’s oldest privacy laws.

In its notice, the CFPB’s acting director, Russell Vought, wrote that he was withdrawing the proposal “in light of updates to Bureau policies,” and that it did not align with the agency’s “current interpretation of the FCRA,” which he added the CFPB is “in the process of revising.”

The CFPB did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Data brokers operate within a multibillion-dollar industry built on the collection and sale of detailed personal information—often without individuals’ knowledge or consent. These companies create extensive profiles on nearly every American, including highly sensitive data such as precise location history, political affiliations, and religious beliefs. This information is frequently resold for purposes ranging from marketing to law enforcement surveillance.

Many people are unaware that data brokers even exist, let alone that their personal information is being traded. In January, the Texas Attorney General’s Office, led by attorney general Ken Paxton, accused Arity—a data broker owned by Allstate—of unlawfully collecting, using, and selling driving data from over 45 million Americans to insurance companies without their consent.

The harms from data brokers can be severe–even violent. The Safety Net Project, part of the National Network to End Domestic Violence, warns that people-search websites, which compile information from data brokers, can serve as tools for abusers to track down information about their victims.

Last year, Gravy Analytics—which processes billions of location signals daily—suffered a data breach that may have exposed the movements of millions of individuals, including politicians and military personnel.

“Russell Vought is undoing years of painstaking, bipartisan work in order to prop up data brokers’ predatory, and profitable, surveillance of Americans,” says Sean Vitka, executive director of Demand Progress, a nonprofit that supported the rule. Added Vitka: “By withdrawing the CFPB’s data broker rulemaking, the Trump administration is ensuring that Americans will continue to be bombarded by scam texts, calls and emails, and that military members and their families can be targeted by spies and blackmailers.”

Vought, who also serves as director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, received a letter on Monday from the Financial Technology Association (FTA) calling for the rule to be withdrawn, claiming the rules exceed the agency’s statutory mandate and would be “harmful to financial institutions’ efforts to detect and prevent fraud.” The FTA is a US-based trade organization that represents the interests of banks, lenders, payment platforms, and their executives.

Privacy advocates have long pressed regulators to use the Fair Credit Reporting Act to crack down on the data broker industry. Common Defense, a veteran-led nonprofit, urged the CFPB to take action in November, blaming data brokers for recklessly exposing sensitive information about US service members that placed them at “substantial risk” of being blackmailed, scammed, or targeted by hostile foreign actors.

A 2023 study cited by the group—funded by the US Military Academy at West Point—concluded that the current data broker ecosystem is a threat to US national security, permitting the sale of sensitive personal data that can be used not only to identify service members and “other politically sensitive targets,” but also to offer details about medical conditions, financial problems, and political and religious beliefs. “Foreign and malign actors with access to these datasets could uncover information about high-level targets, such as military service members, that could be used for coercion, reputational damage, and blackmail,” the authors report.

Common Defense political director Naveed Shah, an Iraq War veteran, condemned the move to spike the proposed changes, accusing Vought of putting the profits of data brokers before the safety of millions of service members. "For the sake of military families and our national security, the administration must reverse course and ensure that these critical privacy protections are enacted," Shah says.

Investigations by WIRED have shown that data brokers have collected and made cheaply available information that can be used to reliably track the locations of American military and intelligence personnel overseas, including in and around sensitive installations where US nuclear weapons are reportedly stored.

WIRED reported in February that US data brokers were using Google's ad-tech tools to sell access to information about devices linked to military service members and national security decisionmakers, as well as federal contractors that manufacture and export classified defense-related technologies. Experts say it proves trivial for foreign adversaries to de-anonymize the data.

"Data brokers inflict severe harm on individuals by degrading privacy, threatening national security, enabling scams and fraud, endangering public officials and survivors of domestic violence, and putting immigrant populations at risk,” says Caroline Kraczon, law fellow at the Electronic Privacy Information Center focused on consumer protection.

“The CFPB had a critical opportunity to address these harms by clarifying that data brokers must follow the Fair Credit Reporting Act,” adds Kraczon. “This withdrawal is deeply disappointing and another attack in the administration’s war against consumers on behalf of corporate interests."

Last month, more than 1,400 CFPB employees had their positions at the agency terminated, leaving the agency with a staff of around 300 people. Elon Musk, whose so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has spearheaded the White House's efforts to radically restructure the federal government by slashing the size of its workforce, last November called on President Donald Trump to “delete” the CFPB, whose job includes shielding Americans from predatory lending practices.

[beardedmrbean]

California's handling of sensitive health information is under scrutiny following a report that data entered by residents on the state's health insurance marketplace was shared with LinkedIn.

Covered California, which runs the state's marketplace, coveredca.com, shared sensitive personal data with LinkedIn, a subsidiary of Microsoft, through embedded tracking tools on the website, nonprofit news organization The Markup reported on Monday.

Covered California confirmed the data transmission in a news release later that day, saying "some sensitive data was inadvertently collected by the tags, including first names, the last four digits of Social Security numbers, and other sensitive health information like pregnancy status."

It added that all advertising-related tags on the website had been turned off as a "precautionary measure," and that it would review the extent of the data shared.

Representative Kevin Kiley, the Democrat from California has called for an investigation. "This is incredibly disturbing," he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Newsweek contacted Representative Kiley via social media and email, as well as the press offices of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and California Governor Gavin Newsom via email outside of regular working hours on Wednesday.

Why It Matters

Concerns over personal data have grown in recent months after it emerged the government's Department of Government Efficiencyworked to gain access to the Social Security Administration's data systems, which hold sensitive personal data about approximately 70 million Americans.

California's sharing of sensitive data with LinkedIn will likely raise similar concerns about threats to Americans' privacy.

What To Know

Trackers on coveredca.com, which was created under the Affordable Care Act, captured users' answers to questions about blindness, pregnancy, high prescription use, gender identity and experiences with domestic abuse, The Markup reported.

The data was then transmitted to LinkedIn using Insight Tag, which uses code to track how visitors interact with websites.

Covered California said in a statement that it "leverages LinkedIn's advertising platform tools to understand consumer behavior;" however, LinkedIn notes on its website that Insight Tag "should not be installed on web pages that collect or contain Sensitive Data."

The LinkedIn campaign trackers began in February 2024 and were removed "due to a marketing agency transition" in early April, Covered California told CalMatters.

Covered California had more than 60 trackers on its site, compared to the average on other government sites of three, CalMatters reported.

What People Are Saying

Covered California said in a news release on Monday: "Covered California is reviewing its entire website and information security and privacy protocols to ensure that no analytics tools are impermissibly collecting or sharing sensitive consumer information. The LinkedIn Insight tags are no longer active and, as a precautionary measure, all active advertising-related tags across the CoveredCA.com website have been turned off.

"Covered California is committed to safeguarding the confidential information and privacy of its consumers. The organization will share additional findings from this investigation as they become available."

California Representative Kevin Kiley, wrote on X: "California's Obamacare website tracked users' personal health information—such as pregnancy and prescription drug use—and sent it to LinkedIn for a 'marketing campaign.' We are asking Secretary Kennedy to investigate for HIPAA violations."

What Happens Next

The Department of Health and Human Services has yet to respond publicly to Kiley's call for an investigation.

[shabinv]

Top Digital Marketing Trends to Watch in 2025

As a Best Freelancer Digital Marketer In Palakkad we step deeper into the fast-paced digital world, 2025 is already shaping up to be a game-changing year for marketers. Technology, consumer behavior, and global dynamics are evolving rapidly — and so should our strategies. Whether you're a business owner, a startup founder, or a fellow digital marketer, staying ahead of the trends is essential.

Here are the top digital marketing trends to watch in 2025:

1. AI-Powered Marketing Will Be Mainstream

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a buzzword — it's the engine behind everything from customer service chatbots to personalized content recommendations. In 2025, AI tools like ChatGPT, MidJourney, and automation platforms will be used to craft content, optimize campaigns, and enhance user experience in real-time.

Pro tip: Leverage AI to automate mundane tasks and focus on strategy and creativity.

2. Hyper-Personalization Will Drive Conversions

Generic messages are dead. Consumers now expect brands to understand their preferences, behavior, and intent. With the help of advanced analytics and first-party data, brands will create ultra-targeted content, emails, and offers.

Example: E-commerce platforms will serve unique homepages to different users based on browsing history and location.

3. Voice Search & Smart Assistants Are Growing

With the rise of smart speakers and mobile voice assistants, voice search optimization is a must. In 2025, more than 60% of searches may be voice-based. Brands need to optimize for conversational keywords and FAQs.

Action point: Start creating content that sounds natural when spoken aloud.

4. Short-Form Video Remains King

Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, TikTok — short-form video is here to stay. In 2025, expect platforms to double down on this format with new monetization tools and discoverability features.

Strategy tip: Invest in authentic, value-driven video content. Consistency is more important than perfection.

5. Privacy-First Marketing Will Dominate

With increasing regulations like GDPR, and the phasing out of third-party cookies, marketers must prioritize ethical data use. First-party data collection (via signups, polls, etc.) will be more important than ever.

Solution: Build trust by being transparent with data collection and use tools that comply with privacy laws.

6. Influencer Marketing Gets Niche

Instead of chasing big influencers, brands are now working with micro and nano influencers who have loyal, engaged communities. In 2025, ROI-focused influencer partnerships will outperform one-off brand deals.

Idea: Partner with local creators who align with your brand values.

7. SEO Evolves with AI and Semantic Search

Google and other search engines are becoming more sophisticated. In 2025, keyword stuffing won’t work — semantic relevance, user intent, and E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) will be key.

Tip: Focus on helpful content, not just rankings. Google rewards real value.

Final Thoughts

Digital marketing in 2025 is all about authenticity, adaptability, and agility. As a freelance digital marketer based in Palakkad, I’ve seen how local businesses can thrive when they embrace innovation early.

If you're a brand looking to stay ahead in this evolving digital landscape, now is the time to upgrade your strategy and ride the trends — not chase them after they’ve peaked.

Let’s connect! Feel free to message me if you need help implementing these strategies for your business.

[d-bloggg]

The Future of Digital Marketing: Trends You Can’t Ignore in 2025.

The digital world never sleeps, and in 2025, it's evolving faster than ever—a living, breathing network of clicks, scrolls, and conversations. To keep up, brands can’t just follow trends; they need to lead them. This isn’t about what’s “cool”—it”’s about what connects. And if you’re not keeping your eye on what’s shifting, your strategy might already be outdated.

This year, digital marketing is no longer about just reaching people—it’s about experience creation. Consumers want personalized journeys, emotional resonance, and messages that feel like they were made just for them. Enter artificial intelligence, not just as a tool but as the brain behind it all—crafting smart, behavior-driven campaigns that adapt in real time.

Meanwhile, voice search optimization is transforming how people interact with brands. With the rise of smart speakers and wearables, typing is fading and talking is trending. Your content has to sound as good as it reads, because if you’re not showing up in voice results, you’re missing the conversation.

Video? Oh, it’s not just content anymore—it’s the king of attention. Video marketing, especially with platforms pushing Reels and YouTube Shorts, is the heartbeat of storytelling. People don’t just want to read your message—they want to feel it, watch it, share it. And guess what? If your videos don’t stop the scroll in the first three seconds, they’re just noise in the feed.

Another massive shift is the rise of authenticity. Audiences are rejecting perfect, polished lies and craving raw, real voices. That’s why micro-influencers with fewer followers but higher trust are now outperforming celebrities. It’s not about being viral—it’s about being genuine.

This energy flows into social commerce—a booming space where people buy while they scroll. From product tags in stories to WhatsApp catalogs, shopping is being baked right into the content. It’s casual, it’s instant, and it’s revolutionizing how brands convert interest into action.

And let’s talk privacy. With third-party cookies disappearing into the abyss, smart marketers are tapping into zero-party data—the info customers hand over freely, like preferences and opinions. It’s cleaner, it’s more respectful, and it’s the future of trust-building.

Also blowing minds in 2025 is the rise of augmented reality. Imagine trying on sunglasses through your phone or walking through a virtual store in your living room. That’s AR marketing—immersive, interactive, and insanely effective at boosting engagement.

But it’s not just about tech. It’s about values. Gen Z and millennials are actively choosing brands that align with their worldview. That’s why sustainable marketing isn’t a niche anymore—it’s a necessity. If your brand isn’t green, transparent, and purpose-driven, you’re not just behind—you’re invisible. Finally, everything's moving at lightning speed, thanks to automation tools that build and deploy campaigns in real-time. Dynamic content, predictive analytics, and smart segmentation are making marketing less about guesswork and more about precision

[prashantgautam81]

Top Digital Marketing Trends for 2025

Top Digital Marketing Trends for 2025: What You Need to Know

As technology evolves and user behavior shifts, businesses must stay ahead of the curve to remain relevant. The digital marketing trends for 2025 are not just predictions—they’re strategic signals that will shape the future of brand engagement, customer experience, and ROI.

In this blog, we’ll break down the most impactful digital marketing trends for 2025 you need to watch and integrate into your strategy—today.

1. AI-Powered Marketing Will Dominate the Landscape

Artificial intelligence is no longer just a buzzword—it's the backbone of many digital marketing trends for 2025. From predictive analytics to personalized content recommendations, AI will drive efficiency and performance like never before.

Expect to see AI tools automating content generation, optimizing ad spend, and even managing customer interactions via chatbots and virtual agents. Brands that harness AI smartly will gain a serious competitive edge.

Pro Tip: Start exploring AI tools like ChatGPT, Jasper, and Phrasee to create scalable content strategies.

2. Voice Search Optimization Becomes Non-Negotiable

One of the key digital marketing trends for 2025 is the continued rise of voice search. With more consumers using smart speakers and voice assistants, optimizing for voice search is crucial.

Traditional SEO won’t be enough. You’ll need to adapt your content to answer conversational queries—think featured snippets, FAQs, and long-tail keywords.

Why It Matters: By 2025, it's estimated that over 50% of all online searches will be voice-activated. If you're not optimized for this trend, you're missing out.

3. The Rise of Zero-Click Searches

Zero-click searches—where users find the answers directly on the search engine results page (SERP)—are one of the more challenging digital marketing trends for 2025.

This trend forces marketers to rethink their SEO strategy. Instead of chasing clicks, focus on building authority and earning SERP features like Google’s featured snippets, People Also Ask, and Knowledge Panels.

Key Insight: It’s about visibility and branding. Even without a click, your brand can make an impression.

4. Hyper-Personalization with First-Party Data

With third-party cookies phasing out, businesses must shift to first-party data to fuel their personalization strategies. This marks a turning point in the digital marketing trends for 2025, as brands aim to deliver hyper-targeted content without invading privacy.

Collect data through newsletters, gated content, and loyalty programs—then use it to personalize user experiences across all touchpoints.

Tool Suggestion: Use CDPs (Customer Data Platforms) like Segment or HubSpot to centralize and activate your data.

5. Short-Form Video Continues to Explode

Among the most unstoppable digital marketing trends for 2025 is short-form video. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts are redefining how we consume content.

Consumers want quick, authentic, and visually engaging experiences. Marketers need to adopt vertical video, storytelling, and trends to engage their audience.

Content Idea: Try weekly behind-the-scenes clips or “quick tips” videos to build trust and showcase your expertise.

6. Social Commerce Will Reshape E-Commerce

Social media is no longer just a place to connect—it’s becoming a shopping mall. One of the hottest digital marketing trends for 2025 is social commerce, where users can discover and buy products without leaving platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest.

Livestream shopping, influencer collaborations, and in-app purchases will become central to the e-commerce journey.

Action Step: Make sure your product catalog is integrated with platforms like Meta Shops and TikTok Store.

7. Sustainability & Ethical Marketing Take Center Stage

Consumers in 2025 are more conscious of how and where they spend their money. One of the most values-driven digital marketing trends for 2025 is the shift toward transparency, sustainability, and purpose.

People want to support brands that align with their values—whether it’s eco-friendly packaging, ethical labor, or charitable partnerships.

Tip: Don’t just talk about your values—show them. Use your marketing to highlight your impact and commitment.

8. Interactive Content Will Boost Engagement

Static content is losing its charm. A key digital marketing trend for 2025 is the use of interactive content—think polls, quizzes, calculators, and clickable videos.

Why? Because it increases engagement, dwell time, and conversions. It also helps gather valuable insights about your audience.

Example: A skincare brand could create a quiz titled “What’s Your Skin Type?” to drive product recommendations.

9. AR & VR Experiences Go Mainstream

Augmented and virtual reality aren’t just for gaming anymore. One of the most exciting digital marketing trends for 2025 is the rise of immersive marketing.

Brands are using AR for virtual try-ons, 3D product views, and interactive ads. Meanwhile, VR opens up opportunities for virtual stores, tours, and experiences.

Future Vision: Imagine launching a virtual showroom or a product demo experience customers can explore from home.

10. Email Marketing Gets Smarter, Not Just Louder

Email isn’t going anywhere—but how we use it is evolving. Among the digital marketing trends for 2025, smarter, segmented, and behavior-based emails are proving far more effective than generic blasts.

AI and automation now allow you to send personalized messages based on purchase behavior, content consumption, and even website clicks.

Don’t Forget: Mobile-first design is essential. Most emails are read on phones—keep it clean and compelling.

Final Thoughts

The digital marketing trends for 2025 reflect a world that’s fast-paced, data-conscious, and deeply connected. From AI and video to ethics and engagement, the future of marketing is about creating personalized, authentic experiences at scale.

[jasir247]

Top Digital Marketing Strategies for 2025

1. AI-Driven SEO & Content Marketing

Search engines are evolving, with AI-powered algorithms reshaping how content ranks. To maintain a competitive edge: ✅ Prioritise Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) when creating content. ✅ Utilise AI-based tools like Jasper, SurferSEO, and Frase.io for content optimisation. ✅ Focus on long-form, informative content tailored to user intent. ✅ Implement structured data and schema markup to improve search visibility. ✅ Optimise for voice search and AI-generated responses to align with new search behaviours.

2. Hyper-Personalised Marketing

Consumers expect customised experiences across all digital platforms. To meet this demand: ✅ Use AI-powered customer relationship management (CRM) tools such as HubSpot, Klaviyo, and ActiveCampaign for audience segmentation. ✅ Personalise email campaigns with dynamic content and behaviour-based automation. ✅ Leverage Google Ads Performance Max and Meta’s AI-driven targeting for precise ad placements. ✅ Incorporate personalised product recommendations for eCommerce and digital shopfronts.

3. Short-Form & Interactive Video Content

Video remains a dominant force in digital marketing, particularly short, engaging formats: ✅ Create content for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts to capture audience attention quickly. ✅ Utilise AI-powered video creation platforms like Synthesia, RunwayML, and Pictory. ✅ Integrate interactive elements such as polls, quizzes, and live Q&A sessions to drive engagement. ✅ Experiment with immersive experiences like 360-degree videos and augmented reality (AR).

4. Performance-Driven Paid Advertising

Data-driven advertising is becoming smarter and more efficient: ✅ Use AI-powered Google and Meta Ads for automated bidding and precise targeting. ✅ Implement retargeting strategies to reconnect with past visitors. ✅ Leverage AI analytics to anticipate user behaviour and optimise conversion rates. ✅ Adopt programmatic advertising for automated, real-time ad placements.

5. Influencer & User-Generated Content (UGC) Marketing

Influencer marketing is shifting towards authenticity and community engagement: ✅ Partner with micro and nano influencers to achieve higher engagement at lower costs. ✅ Encourage UGC through branded challenges, reviews, and community hashtags. ✅ Use AI tools to evaluate influencer reach and engagement rates. ✅ Feature UGC across websites, social platforms, and email marketing for credibility.

6. Community & Conversational Marketing

Building digital communities fosters brand loyalty and customer retention: ✅ Engage with audiences on WhatsApp, Telegram, and Discord. ✅ Deploy AI chatbots for real-time customer interactions and automated lead nurturing. ✅ Host live events, such as webinars and Q&A sessions, to strengthen brand relationships. ✅ Implement SMS marketing and AI-driven chat to provide personalised communication.

7. Ethical & Sustainable Marketing

Consumers increasingly value sustainability and ethical business practices: ✅ Promote eco-friendly products and sustainable packaging in digital campaigns. ✅ Share corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives through storytelling. ✅ Adopt privacy-focused marketing strategies, including ethical data collection and zero-party data. ✅ Be transparent about sourcing, brand values, and business ethics.

8. Web3 & Blockchain in Marketing

Decentralised technologies are reshaping digital marketing strategies: ✅ Explore NFT-based loyalty programs to drive engagement. ✅ Utilise decentralised social media for better audience ownership. ✅ Implement blockchain for transparency in advertising and fraud prevention. ✅ Accept cryptocurrency payments for online services and eCommerce transactions.

9. AI-Powered Data Analytics & CRO

Data-driven decision-making enhances marketing performance: ✅ Use Google Analytics 4 (GA4), Hotjar, and Crazy Egg to analyse user behaviour. ✅ Conduct A/B testing on landing pages, emails, and ads for optimisation. ✅ Leverage predictive analytics to identify trends and customer preferences. ✅ Improve website UX and sales funnels to increase conversions.

10. Voice & Visual Search Optimisation

As voice and visual search continue to grow, businesses must adapt: ✅ Optimise content for natural language and voice search queries. ✅ Implement image and video search SEO using Google Lens and Pinterest Visual Search. ✅ Enhance accessibility with alt text, metadata, and structured product descriptions. ✅ Focus on multimedia-rich content to align with AI-driven search results.

🔥 Final Thoughts

To stay competitive in 2025, brands must embrace AI, automation, and data-driven strategies while maintaining an authentic connection with their audience. Businesses that leverage new technologies while prioritising customer experience will stand out in the evolving digital space.

📌 Read more insights at: 👉 check out

[carlhofelina]

Why Empowering Your Tech Startup Business is Key to Sustainable Growth

Tech startup businesses face many challenges, and while rapid growth is often the goal, achieving sustainable growth is essential for long-term success. Empowering your tech startup business with strategic planning, innovation, and resilience is crucial to staying competitive and ensuring a strong future.

10 Strategies for Empowering Tech Startup Businesses

1. Defining Vision and Mission

A clear vision and mission are fundamental for guiding your tech startup business. The vision sets long-term goals, while the mission outlines the approach to achieve them. By defining these elements, tech startup businesses can:

Make informed decisions

Align teams

Attract investors

A well-communicated vision also helps keep employees motivated and focused on company goals, providing direction during challenges. [1] 

2. Fostering Innovation and Agility

Innovation drives the growth of tech startup businesses, and agility ensures they can adapt quickly to changes in the market. To support innovation, tech startup businesses should:

Encourage creative thinking and experimentation

Test new ideas and adjust quickly

Stay adaptable to new technologies and consumer behaviors

Agility in response to market shifts helps maintain relevance and competitiveness.

3. Building a Resilient Business Model

A solid business model provides the foundation for sustainable growth in any tech startup business. Many tech startup businesses fail by scaling too fast without a flexible model. Key steps to build resilience include:

Diversifying revenue streams

Focusing on customer retention

Improving operational efficiency

These strategies reduce risks and ensure a stable structure for long-term growth.

4. Leveraging Technology for Efficiency

Tech startup businesses should embrace technology to streamline operations. Automation, AI, and cloud computing help reduce manual tasks, allowing tech startup businesses to focus on growth. Key tools include:

Automated workflows

CRM systems

AI-driven data analytics

These technologies boost productivity and reduce inefficiencies, helping tech startup businesses scale effectively.

5. Prioritizing Customer-Centric Strategies

Customer satisfaction is crucial for sustainable growth in any tech startup business. Startups should build strong relationships with customers by:

Gathering feedback and adapting products or services

Improving user experience

Offering personalized solutions

A customer-focused approach increases loyalty, encourages referrals, and reduces churn.

6. Investing in Talent and Leadership

The strength of your team determines the success of your tech startup business. Investing in talent means fostering an environment of growth through:

Encouraging communication and collaboration

Providing skill development opportunities

Rewarding innovation and problem-solving

When employees feel valued, they contribute to the company's long-term growth and success.

7. Addressing Regulatory and Compliance Challenges

Tech startup businesses must ensure compliance with relevant regulations to avoid risks. Common challenges include:

Intellectual property rights

Data privacy laws

Industry-specific regulations

By staying proactive in compliance, tech startup businesses build trust with investors, customers, and partners.

8. Incorporating Sustainable Practices

Sustainability is now essential for businesses, including tech startup businesses. Startups should integrate sustainable practices, such as:

Reducing environmental impact

Implementing remote work policies

Supporting ethical supply chains

Sustainable practices not only appeal to eco-conscious customers but also contribute to long-term profitability.

9. Forming Strategic Partnerships

Strategic partnerships help accelerate growth for tech startup businesses and provide additional resources. Startups can benefit from partnerships by:

Expanding into new markets

Sharing knowledge and resources

Reducing costs and risks

Strong partnerships increase credibility and provide a competitive edge.

10. Maintaining Financial Discipline

Financial discipline ensures long-term success for any tech startup business. Startups must manage their resources carefully to avoid running out of capital. Key strategies include:

Monitoring cash flow

Diversifying funding sources

Prioritizing profitability

Financial discipline prepares tech startup businesses for unexpected challenges and allows for reinvestment in growth.

Conclusion

Empowering your tech startup business involves focusing on key areas such as vision, innovation, resilience, and financial discipline. By building a strong foundation in these areas, tech startup businesses can ensure long-term growth and success in an ever-changing market.

Additionally, effective lead gen strategies, such as leveraging the services provided by companies like Radius Global Solutions, and maintaining high data quality service, can significantly enhance the growth potential of your tech startup business.

Ready to empower your startup? Start implementing these strategies today and set the foundation for a sustainable, successful future. Visit Best Virtual Specialist to learn how our solutions can help your business grow.

Reference: 

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/future-proofing-tech-startups-ensuring-sustainability-sanyal-ho8ec/ 

[jcmarchi]

Empowering Data Control: Data Sovereignty as the Strategic Imperative in the AI Era

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/empowering-data-control-data-sovereignty-as-the-strategic-imperative-in-the-ai-era/

Empowering Data Control: Data Sovereignty as the Strategic Imperative in the AI Era

In today’s fast-moving world of digital transformation, data is much more than a resource—it’s the lifeblood of innovation. Across industries, businesses are leaning heavily on artificial intelligence (AI) to make quicker decisions, optimize operations, and unlock new opportunities. But with AI’s dependence on massive volumes of data, a key question arises: Who really controls the data that fuels this AI-driven transformation?

We’re now in an era where the ownership and governance of data define which businesses succeed and which fall behind. For governments and organizations alike, data sovereignty is fast becoming the backbone of sustainable growth. It’s no longer just about privacy—it’s about building control, compliance, and transparency right into the way data is handled. How well companies balance the need for innovation with the necessity of safeguarding their most valuable asset—data—will shape the next decade.

The Strategic Shift: From Data Privacy to Data Sovereignty

We’ve spent years focused on data privacy, but the conversation is evolving. Privacy has always been reactive—protecting individuals after data is collected. But data sovereignty is more proactive. It’s about taking charge of data from the moment it’s collected, and managing how it’s stored, processed, and shared across borders. It gives businesses, governments, and individuals the ability to decide how their data is used, long before any privacy breaches occur.

Governments around the world are already making moves. With new data localization laws like India’s DPDP Act or the EU’s GDPR, companies must rethink how they handle data on a global scale. Keeping data within national borders isn’t just a challenge—it’s becoming a business necessity.

The Paradox of AI: Driving Innovation, But at What Cost?

As AI continues to evolve, its dependence on data is undeniable. The more data it processes, the more powerful and effective it becomes. But as organizations handle ever-larger datasets—expected to reach 180 zettabytes by 2025—the task of protecting this data without slowing down innovation is becoming increasingly complex. The challenge is intensified as 80% of enterprise data is unstructured and unmanaged, making data accuracy a monumental task for AI modeling, particularly given LLMs’ reliance on unstructured data.

Here’s where the paradox comes in. The same data that powers AI to deliver incredible results—like personalized healthcare and predictive analytics—also creates substantial risks. The larger and more sophisticated these models get, the harder it is to track how data is being used. This exposes companies to threats like unauthorized access, compliance failures, and even bias in algorithms.

Take the case of Clearview AI, where its facial recognition technology used billions of images scraped from social media without consent. The fallout wasn’t just about monetary fines; it was a massive blow to public trust and caused significant operational headaches. It’s a clear message to the industry: it’s not enough to simply use data—we need to protect it, too.

The Unique Solution: AI as the Custodian of Data Sovereignty

With all these challenges in mind, it’s clear that traditional methods of data governance just can’t keep up anymore. Static compliance models and manual processes aren’t equipped to handle the fast-paced, global data ecosystem we’re navigating today. This is where AI-powered self-service data management steps in as a game-changer, offering businesses a way to actively manage and safeguard their data in real time by placing data ownership and action directly into the hands of the data creators – the data and application owners.

This shift in data management fundamentally transforms the role of AI. Rather than acting as a passive consumer of data, AI now acts as a custodian of data sovereignty—taking responsibility for governing data flows across borders, ensuring privacy, and maintaining compliance. By embedding real-time consent mechanisms, dynamic data localization, and advanced anomaly detection, AI enables data creators to exercise full control over their data, no matter where it is stored or accessed.

At the heart of this solution is real-time data ownership. AI-powered frameworks allow organizations and individuals to directly manage who can access their data and how it is used. These frameworks aren’t limited to static permissions; instead, they offer dynamic, real-time control. For example, an organization can adjust data access based on the user’s location, the type of data, role, or specific regulatory requirements at any given moment. Consent mechanisms, meanwhile, allow businesses to comply with laws like GDPR and CCPA while empowering users to opt in or out of data use as needed.

This capability becomes even more critical when considering the rise of data localization laws. As governments increasingly mandate that data generated within their borders must remain there, businesses must adapt by managing data flows across regions. This framework automates the process of segmenting and storing data based on its origin while ensuring that sensitive information remains within legal boundaries. This is further enhanced by data lineage and usage tracking, which provides complete transparency into the lifecycle of the data—where it’s stored, how it’s used, and who has access to it. Additionally, AI-based analytics engines continuously monitor data access patterns, identifying anomalies that could indicate unauthorized attempts to access sensitive information. This isn’t just about preventing breaches after they occur—the real strength lies in its ability to preemptively flag risks and ensure that data remains secure in real-time.

Also, consider the benefits of centralized data governance. Instead of relying on fragmented departments—where IT handles security, compliance manages regulations, and business units access data separately—it creates a unified, self-service platform that allows all stakeholders to participate in managing data. This unified approach enables businesses to define data policies once and apply them consistently across the organization, ensuring the presence of compliance, security, and transparency in every data interaction.

But if you ask me, the real strength of these frameworks lies in their ability to democratize data control. Traditionally, data management was the domain of IT departments or select corporate entities. But in a world where transparency is demanded by regulators, and consumers expect greater control over their data, this model is no longer viable.

AI-driven self-service data management frameworks can place data sovereignty directly into the hands of both businesses and individuals. It can allow internal data owners and external stakeholders to manage, define, and audit data flows autonomously. Through real-time notifications and dynamic consent options, consumers will no longer be passive participants—but active players in how their data is used and shared.

Imagine getting an alert on your phone, asking whether you want to approve or deny the use of your data for a marketing campaign. It’s that level of transparency and control that will be key for organizational success, especially as 71% of consumers now expect personalized interactions from companies but also demand strong data protection.

The Future of AI and Data Sovereignty

As the data landscape continues to evolve, the intersection of AI and data sovereignty presents a strategic battleground for businesses. These self-service frameworks represent the future, where data sovereignty isn’t a challenge—it’s an asset. This new approach offers businesses a way to mitigate privacy and security risks, while still providing the control, transparency, and compliance demanded by consumers and regulators alike.

In the end, this isn’t just about protecting data—it’s about reshaping the future of data governance. As AI continues to drive global innovation, organizations must rise to the challenge of embedding sovereignty into the core of their data operations. The solution is clear: by positioning AI as the custodian of data sovereignty, we can align innovation with responsibility, ensuring both are built to last.

[alyfoxxxen]

A new law in California protects consumers’ brain data. Some think it doesn't go far enough. | MIT Technology Review

[maheswathi]

Digital Marketing in 2025: Trends, Tools, and Strategies for the Future

Its 2025, businesses must remain ahead of the curve to remain competitive in the rapidly evolving field of digital marketing. Digital marketing in 2025 will be more data-driven, customer-focused, and interactive than ever thanks to the most recent developments in AI, personalization, and user behavior analysis.

What’s New in Digital Marketing in 2025?

1. AI-Powered Marketing

Artificial intelligence is now at the core of most marketing tools. From content generation to predictive analytics and chatbots, AI is enabling brands to automate processes while enhancing customer experience.

2. Hyper-Personalization

Generic content no longer cuts it. Brands in 2025 are using real-time data and machine learning to deliver hyper-personalized content, emails, and ads tailored to individual user preferences and behaviors.

3. Voice Search & Conversational Marketing

With the increasing use of voice assistants, optimizing for voice search has become a must. Conversational marketing through chatbots and messaging apps is also revolutionizing how businesses interact with customers.

4. Video-First Content Strategy

Short-form videos dominate platforms like Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and TikTok. Brands are investing in video content not just for awareness but also for conversions, product demos, and testimonials.

5. Privacy-First Marketing

As privacy regulations tighten and third-party cookies fade out, marketers in 2025 rely heavily on first-party data, ethical tracking, and consent-based marketing strategies.

Top Digital Marketing Strategies for 2025

SEO 2.0: Search engines are prioritizing user experience signals, mobile usability, and voice search optimization. Semantic search and intent-focused content are critical.

Omnichannel Integration: Consistent brand messaging across platforms—social, email, web, apps—is key to improving customer journeys and retention.

Micro-Influencer Collaborations: Niche influencers with loyal audiences offer high engagement and authenticity.

Interactive & Immersive Content: AR filters, interactive quizzes, and gamified experiences increase engagement and dwell time.

Sustainability Marketing: Brands that showcase ethical practices and sustainability efforts attract conscious consumers.

Tools Dominating Digital Marketing in 2025

AI Content Tools: ChatGPT, Jasper, Copy.ai

Analytics Platforms: Google Analytics 4, Mixpanel, Heap

Marketing Automation: HubSpot, ActiveCampaign, Klaviyo

Social Media Management: Buffer, Later, Hootsuite

SEO & SEM: Semrush, Ahrefs, Surfer SEO

Final Thoughts

Transparency, intelligent technology use, and meaningful engagement are key components of digital marketing in 2025. In this next stage of the digital era, brands that adjust to these changing trends and put the needs of their customers first will prosper.

Now is the time to revisit your digital strategy and align it with the future. 2025 calls for audacious, creative, and customer-focused marketing initiatives, whether that be through embracing AI, improving personalization, or producing immersive content.

Are you prepared for digital marketing's future?

[nsimsouthex233]

Digital Marketing Skills to Learn in 2025

Key Digital Marketing Skills to Learn in 2025 to Stay Ahead of Competition The digital marketing landscape in 2025 is rapidly changing, driven by the technological advancements, shifting consumer behavior, and the growing power of artificial intelligence. Competition and career resilience require acquiring expertise in the following digital marketing skills.

Data Analysis and Interpretation

Data is the backbone of modern marketing strategies. The ability to collect, analyze, and make informed decisions based on large sets of data sets great marketers apart. Proficiency in analytical software like Google Analytics and AI-driven tools is critical in measuring campaign performance, optimizing strategies, and making data-driven decisions. Predictive analytics and customer journey mapping are also becoming more critical for trend spotting and personalization of user experience.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

SEO is still a fundamental skill, but the landscape is evolving. The marketer now has to optimize for traditional search engines, voice search, and even social media, as Gen Z increasingly relies on TikTok and YouTube as search tools. Keeping up with algorithm updates, keyword research skills, and technical SEO skills is essential to staying visible and driving organic traffic.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)

AI and ML are revolutionizing digital marketing through the power to enable advanced targeting, automation, and personalization. Marketers will need to leverage AI in order to segment audiences, design content, deploy predictive analytics, and build chatbots. Most crucial will be understanding how to balance AI-based automation with human, authentic content.

Content Generation and Storytelling

Content is still king. Marketers must be great at creating great copy, video, and interactive content that is appropriate for various platforms and audiences. Emotionally resonant storytelling and brand affection are more critical than ever, particularly as human-created content trumps AI-created content consistently.

Social Media Strategy and Social Commerce Social media is still the foremost driver of digital engagement. Mastering techniques constructed for specific platforms—such as short-form video, live stream, and influencing with influencers—is critical. How to facilitate direct sales through social commerce, built on combining commerce and social interactions, is an area marketers must master.

Marketing Automation

Efficiency is the most critical in 2025. Marketing automation platforms (e.g., Marketo and HubSpot) enable marketers to automate repetitive tasks, nurture leads, and personalize customer journeys at scale.

UX/UI Design Principles

A seamless user experience and a pleasing design can either make or destroy online campaigns. Having UX/UI basics in your knowledge and collaborating with design teams ensures that marketing campaigns are both effective and engaging.

Ethical Marketing and Privacy Compliance

With data privacy emerging as a pressing issue, marketers must stay updated on laws like GDPR and CCPA. Ethical marketing and openness foster trust and avoid legal issues.

To lead in 2025, digital marketers will have to fuse technical skills, creativity, and flexibility. By acquiring these high-impact capabilities-data analysis, SEO, AI, content development, social strategy, automation, UX/UI, and ethical marketing-you'll be at the edge of the constantly evolving digital space

[mariacallous]

The United States Federal Trade Commission is taking action against two American data brokers accused of unlawfully trafficking in people’s sensitive location data. The data was used, the agency says, to track Americans in and around churches, military bases, and doctors’ offices, among other protected sites. It was sold not only for advertising purposes but also for political campaigns and government uses, including immigration enforcement.

Mobilewalla, a Georgia-based data broker that’s said to have digitally tracked the residents of domestic abuse shelters, is accused by the agency of purposefully tracking protesters in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020. In a court filing, the FTC says Mobilewalla attempted to unmask the protesters’ racial identities by tracking their mobile devices to, for example, Hindu temples and Black churches.

The FTC also accused Gravy Analytics and its subsidiary Venntel of harvesting and exploiting consumers’ location data without consent, alleging that the company used that data to unfairly infer health decisions and religious beliefs.

According to the FTC, Gravy Analytics collected over 17 billion location signals from approximately a billion mobile devices daily. It has reportedly sold access to that data to federal law enforcement agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Gravy Analytics could not be immediately reached for comment.

A spokesperson for Mobilewalla says the company's privacy policies are constantly evolving, adding: “While we disagree with many of the FTC’s allegations and implications that Mobilewalla tracks and targets individuals based on sensitive categories, we are satisfied that the resolution will allow us to continue providing valuable insights to businesses in a manner that respects and protects consumer privacy.”

“This data can be used to identify and target consumers based on their religion,” the FTC says. The location data collected by the two companies makes it possible, the agency says, to “identify where individual consumers lived, worked, and worshipped, thus suggesting the mobile device user’s religion and routine and identifying the user’s friends and families.”

According to the two settlements, which must be finalized in court before they would go into effect, Gravy Analytics and Mobilewalla are barred from collecting sensitive location data from consumers and must delete the historical data they gathered on millions of Americans. Mobilewalla would be banned from acquiring location data and other sensitive information from online auctions known as real-time bidding exchanges, marketplaces where advertisers compete to instantaneously deliver ads to targeted consumers. This case marks the first time the FTC has moved to police the collection of data directly from an ad exchange.

In another first, the proposed Gravy Analytics settlement would introduce military installations to the list of “sensitive locations” where the FTC bans location tracking. Under the terms, the company would be prohibited from selling, disclosing, or using data drawn from these locations, which include mental health clinics, substance abuse centers, and child care service providers.

In November, a collaborative investigation by WIRED, Bayerischer Rundfunk, and Netzpolitik.org revealed that over 3 billion phone location data points, collected by a US-based data broker, exposed the movements of US military and intelligence personnel in Germany. These movements included visits to nuclear vaults and brothels. In that story, WIRED first reported on FTC chair Lina Khan’s efforts to shield US military and intelligence personnel from data brokers.

US senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, who first urged the FTC to take action against Mobilewalla in 2020, praised the announcements, calling the companies’ actions “outrageous violations of Americans’ privacy.”

“These companies enabled US government agencies to surveil Americans without a warrant and enabled foreign countries to spy on service members with just a credit card,” says Wyden, who also previously investigated Venntel with other members of Congress.

While the FTC’s orders don’t directly tackle the issue of government agencies purchasing Americans’ location data—information for which a warrant is normally required—Wyden says the cases nevertheless undermine the government’s case for allowing the purchases. The orders make clear, he says, that federal agencies are hiding behind a “flimsy claim that Americans consented to the sale of their data.”

In a statement, FTC commissioner Alvaro Bedoya notes that while surveillance conducted by private companies won't raise the same constitutional issues as surveillance by government, the difference between the two is “porous if not irrelevant” to the people being watched. "Governments have long relied on private citizens for work that would be impractical or illegal for law enforcement," he says.

Whether the orders against Gravy Analytics and Mobilewalla will be enforced remains to be seen. Major changes are coming to the agency under the future Trump administration—most expected to undermine years of work by Khan and her staff. Many of Donald Trump's allies have been vocally critical of Khan's aggressive pro-consumer approach, including Republican megadonor Elon Musk, who has taken command of an ad hoc office that will purportedly advise the White House on improving “government efficiency.”

FTC commissioner Andrew Ferguson, whose name was floated last month as a potential Khan replacement, partially concurred with the agency’s decision to bring cases against the two data brokers on Tuesday. He agreed the companies had taken insufficient steps to ensure consumer data was properly anonymized, adding that they’d failed to obtain the “meaningfully informed consent” of the consumers they targeted.

Unlike Khan, however, Ferguson argues that the companies did not run afoul of the law by “categorizing consumers based on sensitive characteristics,” such as whether they attend church or political meetings. “These are all public acts that people carry out in the sight of their fellow citizens every day,” he says.

Ferguson likewise chastised the agency for attempting to restrict the power of data brokers to target protesters specifically. “Treating attendance at a political protest as uniquely private and sensitive is an oxymoron,” he says.

In a separate action Tuesday morning, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced it was taking steps to crack down on predatory data brokers that traffic in people’s financial information, calling the practice a gateway for “scamming, stalking, and spying.”

Musk, who donated more than $100 million toward Trump’s reelection, called publicly last week for the bureau to be “deleted.”