As part of Facebook’s push for greater privacy transparency, it has launched a ten-week-long, UK-wide campaign with the aim of educating people on how to safely manage their digital lives. Amid confusion around data protection laws, companies are stepping in to help people gain a better understanding. We explore the insights behind this and why there has been a wider push at Facebook to regain trust.
As part of Facebook’s push for greater privacy transparency, it has launched a ten-week-long, UK-wide campaign with the aim of educating people on how to safely manage their digital lives. Amid confusion around data protection laws, companies are stepping in to help people gain a better understanding.
Facebook’s ‘Privacy Is Personal’ national marketing campaign is aiming to help the 22% of Britons who are confused about privacy settings on social media. The advert, created by Possible, draws comparisons between people’s personal and private boundaries IRL, likening social media privacy to levels of modesty at the beach. Running for ten weeks, the campaign will be hosted on Facebook and Instagram, video-on-demand, digital, out-of-home, cinema, print, and audio across the UK. "We often hear that people aren't aware that some of these features exist, or don't know where to find them," says Aaron Hoffman, UK marketing manager for Facebook. "So, we have a responsibility to get the word out so that people know how to manage their privacy settings."
Despite good intentions, new laws around data protection and regulation are leaving people confused about how to navigate the noise. In fact, 71% of British firms were unaware of the fines for non-compliance with GDPR in May 2017. Given the fallout of Cambridge Analytica, impacting people’s perceptions of Facebook – 66% of people don’t trust Facebook with their personal data, for example – there has been a wider push at Facebook to regain trust. As part of the ‘Privacy Is Personal’ campaign, Facebook has also launched Privacy Cafes across the UK, where employees help users adjust their privacy settings IRL. As people demand that brands act more responsibly, social media companies are making an effort to answer the call.
Sophie Robinson is a Junior Behavioural Analyst at Canvas8. She has a degree in Social Anthropology from the University of Manchester and always tries to deconstruct stereotypes of normality. When not questioning why she’s watching a short film or writing a screenplay.
