I’m sure you’ve seen the now-famous picture of Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, standing in front of a laptop that has tape over the webcam. If someone as big in the tech industry as Zuckerberg is using this kind of solution, it begs the question, Who is watching?
Lately I’ve been wondering who is listening and why? In the last month or so, I’ve had some curious – let’s call them coincidences – happen to me. The first was with Facebook. I was playing golf with a friend of mine and he was telling me about a lady he just started dating. He mentioned her name two or three times – all while I was skimming through Facebook. The next time I opened Facebook was later that evening. My friend’s new romantic interest was the first person Facebook suggested I friend. We had 7 common friends but I had never heard her name before that afternoon. Coincidence? Maybe.
Another incident that caught my attention happened when my wife was driving me in her car. I asked if she had any Tums (her chili always gets to me). As I asked her this, I was opening my Twitter app and the very first ad was for Prilosec OTC, another heartburn medicine. Coincidence? Possibly.
I am not a paranoid guy and I don’t usually buy into big conspiracy theories, but just think about how often we are in a position to be heard, recorded, or observed.
Our TVs could be listening, our phones are always within reach, and our cars are wired. Not to mention that Alexa device you bought specifically to listen and help you when asked… Think how valuable it would be to Ford Motor Company to know everyone who commented positively about one of its car commercials or how valuable it would be to a local realtor to know that you mentioned you would like to list your home next spring…
OK, OK, so you think I’m a paranoid who thinks he’s being spied on. But let me ask you this:
What if you knew which IDNs:
- Are thinking about your category?
- Wanted to learn more about the value your brand offers?
- Are considering putting out an RFP for your product line?
Do you think this information could help you? (Spoiler: It can.) If you want to know how this info can help you move market share, give us a call! We’ll show you how we listen to the big IDNs!