CMOs need help to make data ethics a reality: WFA study

Source: The World Federation of Advertisers' CMO Guide to Data Ethics in Practice is based on 12 responses provided by global CMOs who sit in the WFA’s CMO Forum, which represents brands spending over $120 billion each year.

More from this source: 

• 60% says data ethics is a top priority, many are held back by the associated costs (25%) and the need for requirements such as recruiting new expertise, broader staff training and development of new policy guidance (16%)
• 50% of CMOs are very concerned about the level of privacy compliance among their external partners and suppliers (e.g. publishers, ad tech, online platforms and data brokers)
• 83% of CMOs are very concerned about being associated with a service provider or supplier that is investigated for the unethical use of data
• Only 16% of CMOs are very confident that their company’s use of AI and machine learning will not create harmful unintended consequences for their consumers such as bias, unfair discrimination or unfair exclusion 
• 85% of CMOs are considering using privacy-preserving alternatives to programmatic advertising in response to increased regulatory scrutiny
• 33% of CMOs believe that their marketers are consciously avoiding using data in a way that exploits vulnerabilities (e.g. unfairly excludes certain audiences, fuels unhealthy consumption patterns or polarises opinions) 
• 41% of CMOs say data ethics has become an integral part of their organisation’s culture