What if the US Regulated Internet Marketing?
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Internet marketing has become an essential component of the overall marketing strategy for many businesses. Possible marketing venues have mushroomed as social network sites and search engines provide new opportunities to reach broad audiences. Online advertisers in the U.K., however, will soon find themselves under the same regulations that TV, print, and paid online advertising already operate under. As the U.S. considers following suit and even going a step further by restricting the ability to collect data, companies must ask how the new policies might affect them in the long term.
Privacy Issues
A key component of online advertising is collecting data detailing a web user’s internet search habits and the sites they visit in order to create targeted ad campaigns. Websites use cookies to monitor user preferences and create a more personalized online experience. Most sites already detail their information gathering practices in their privacy policy, but some companies have been less than forthcoming regarding the extent to which a user’s information might be used. Nearly everyone agrees that an individual user’s privacy must take top priority. The question, then, is whether ensuring privacy should be the job of the federal government or whether the industry should continue to self-regulate. Proponents of regulation argue that greater accountability is needed to keep companies from using personal information illegitimately. Experts in the industry express concerns, however, that regulations put in place by an oversight bureau would be unable to keep pace with rapidly changing technology, handicapping a company’s ability to take advantage of new advances while still adhering to the regulations. Companies such as Google and Yahoo have already stepped up to the plate by introducing opt out buttons that allow a user to decline cookies and remove any tracking software that has been placed on his computer. Additional concerns address whether online marketing as we know it could continue to operate without the ability to discern user preferences. Less targeted advertising could mean significant reductions in ad revenue and conversion rates, producing a ripple effect with ramifications for the entire marketing industry.
Could Regulation Hurt Businesses?
Government oversight of communication always raises concerns about freedom of expression. Regulations that begin with an effort to protect citizens from hateful or deceptive marketing could quickly cross the line by restricting views the government finds distasteful. In addition, increased regulations would need greater revenue to support the regulatory committee, which could easily lead to higher taxes. Since many small businesses rely heavily on online marketing, regulations would need to be sensitive to the ability of these businesses to comply without hurting their profit margins.
Protecting the consumer from privacy invasions and exposure to unwanted advertising content must take top priority for the online marketing industry. If the government becomes involved in the regulation process, however, there will need to be guidelines put in place to ensure that businesses are not hurt by the new policies.
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I understand both sides of this issue, and it’s tough to decide where you want to lay your cards. I hate cookies tracking me, but I also hate the idea of the government getting into this arena that they know very little about. We have ways of blocking cookies, but then we can’t view content. One could say it’s the choices we make, but just because we don’t want to be marketed to in such specific ways, does it mean we don’t get to participate in anything else?
Mitch´s last blog ..Customer Service / MS Excel Workshop & Webinar; Sticky Post
If that will happen. Internet marketing business will slowly shut down since they are trying to conduct a less advertisement and as you said it will limit the ad revenue for the entire marketing industry. What choice do we have now? If that’s the case, small company will be ruin by this regulation.
Crystal´s last blog ..Ferratum
You certainly raise some valid points but with strategies and possibilities for internet marketing expanding like the Big Bang (ok, an obvious exaggeration but it sure seems to be exponential), I don’t see how the government will be able to regulate everything. Nevertheless, guidelines sound like a good idea.
Chuck Edwards@Weight Loss Tips´s last blog ..Acupuncture For Weight Loss
I believe that online marketing is very effective to improve our marketing businesses in US. Many people now a days are using computers as a means of communication, business purposes, games, etc. Therefore we can assure that many people will like this.
I have to agree with Chuck on this I don’t really see how the U.S Government can regulate everything in the Internet Marketing Community. I can see how they can put some regulation on U.S. based marketers but worldwide would be some doing. I don’t mind them having some guidelines like the FTC did earlier this year I believe that was fair. But hard steadfast regulation is going to be difficult to say the least.
But that’s just my opinion in this matter
Mario@halloween Super Affiliate Review´s last blog ..Halloween Super Affiliate – How To Make Money With Halloween Niche