For just a second, let’s think about how you write emails at work.

(WAIT!  Don’t click off.  STAY WITH ME!  This is important…)

So you start to write, realize it doesn’t make sense, erase it and start over.  When you start again you make statements that you probably should NOT be making, if you want to keep your job, so you erase. Then you misspell the boss’ name and correct it. You float ideas that even YOU know are crazy and then you lean on the delete button.  etc. etc.

I would bet that practically no one spits out an entire email perfectly these days. We compose, formulate and edit all at the same time. The flotsam and jetsam of our business thinking is erased and the brilliance that we all display goes neatly and perfectly spelled in its place. Right?

Here’s something scary to consider: WHAT IF ALL THAT DELETED STUFF WAS STILL AROUND? Sitting there in a secure digital repository, ready to make you look ridiculous and/or inept at any second?

Well that loaded weapon might be pointed straight at you, my friend.  

To find out if you should be polishing your resume this weekend, you absolutely must watch this video that August just put together. (Before you write your next email, OK?)

Watch the entire video here:

Be sure and visit safertech.com/gv-cybersecurity. August has done an amazing job of curating tons of interesting information around cyber security and privacy, EMF’s and generally maintaining your Tech Wellness.

Very interesting, you’re thinking, what does this have to do with marketing?

It relates to the torrent of information that is being collected about everyone one of us all day long, every day. The Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence have combined to create a whole new kind of lawless Wild West, where every place you go, your physical activity, songs, the temperature of your house, your weight, what you eat, how slow you run, your typos—all of it—is being stored up. It’s held perfectly secure, up in the cloud.  Every single bit represents a trade off we make. For comfort, convenience, or fun. But when aggregated and applied to the individual, the picture that can be painted reveals more than you even know about yourself.

Is it any wonder that George Orwell’s 1984 has returned to the best seller list?

Importantly, the most obvious privacy encroachments people experience today are often driven by marketing and advertising. I mean, who doesn’t love retargeting? And chances are it’s going to get more invasive. “Hi Jon, we’ve noticed that you just narrowly avoided a collision in your driverless car.  Wow, that was a close one! We’ve taken the liberty of sending you some new underwear. The black ones you like with the skull and crossbones. Since you’ve gained some weight lately, we’ve upped the size a bit. A drone will be dropping it off momentarily. Don’t worry.  We know where you are.  ou’re welcome. Amazon.”

Marketers need to lead the way in setting rules for how digital information is handled and exploited and what should remain off limits. Otherwise, we’ll wake up one day to find that consumers have completely freaked out, that the government has over-reacted and we’re left without the ability to deliver the right message to the right person at the right time.

And that would make the business far less fun.

Please share this with everyone at work. Then figure out who is going to casually ask the boss on Monday, “Do we have Google Vault?”