This whole situation all began with the misuse of private information of non-consenting individuals. Before the regulations, someone's digital footsteps was described as one of the most valuable resources a company could have. Data mines were storing and selling this information to other businesses, and the users had no idea about it.
Marketers were a significant part of this whole situation. The collection of private information could give insights into who buys what product or service and how else those people spend their time on the internet. While the argument could be made for the sole purpose of marketing; the action of harvesting one's data could help connect them to goods that match their need and wants more accessible. The benefits do not outweigh the harm.
These changes have affected marketing and digital marketing in particular for the better, in my opinion. There has been and will continue to be issues with laws and regulations trying to keep up with with the ever-changing world of technology, so it is good to see that there has been some ground gained by the judicial department in efforts to combat invasions of personal privacy. As a marketer, we live in a world where every day we are facing situations that are entirely nuance, and now there is a standard amongst the community to maintain social and ethical responsibility in every facet of our practice.
