The politics of consumer data

Cluley, Robert

Abstract

Data is key to marketing. But data is not a neutral thing. It is political. There are macro-politics that validate, motivate and justify the use of particular forms of data and micro-politics between consumers, marketing organizations and other cultural institutions who want control over data. This study examines these politics by analysing attempts to restrict how marketers could access digital consumer data for the purpose of targeted advertising. Adopting a science and technology studies perspective (STS), it concludes that caring for digital consumer data as a common resource is an important, ongoing and often unacknowledged aspect of contemporary marketing practice. It creates and maintains a market for marketing.

Citation

Cluley, R. (2020). The politics of consumer data. Marketing Theory, 20(1), 45-63. https://doi.org/10.1177/1470593119847252

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 13, 2019
• Online Publication Date: May 9, 2019
• Publication Date: 2020-03
• Deposit Date: Feb 13, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 14, 2019
• Journal: Marketing Theory
• Print ISSN: 1470-5931
• Electronic ISSN: 1741-301X
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 20
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 45-63
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1470593119847252
• Keywords: Digital marketing; Do Not Track; Data; Power; Politics
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1544921
• Publisher URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1470593119847252
• Additional Information: Copyright © 2019 by SAGE Publications