SPEAKER’S CORNER

A SYSTEM ERROR IN THE HEART OF EU DATA PROTECTION REGULATION EU is currently regulating data protection like never before. A reform is surely needed. There’s a lot of enthusiasm. But are the basics in place?

ASML – JÄSENMUISTIO

DMA FINLAND – Asiakkuusmarkkinointiliitto, ASML

At this very moment, the EU is working hard on a data protection regulation that is to be brought into force as such in all EU states.

If we can have 5 minutes of your time, we’ll deliver some ideas you about the conceptual core of that EU reform. The proposal for an EU data protection regulation is based on a few strong core ideas. One of these is minimizing the amount of data to be dealt with. Around these thoughts, there’s also a strong opinion that those core ideas of the EU regulation are wrong in many respects, or at least too simplistic. And let’s see why. As an initial idea, minimizing of data may seem like a good starting point. But let’s see what it’s really all about.

It is understandable and justified that issues like collecting useless data and accumulation of unnecessary data reserves are discussed while a new data protection regulation is being worked on. Yes. Many things can be and must be improved. In information, transparency, data security etc. We hear news about cases in which mobile applications ”leak” information, social media don’t reveal the use and delivery of gathered information etc. There’s a strong need for better information and transparency. Useless data should not be collected and privacy should be protected.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

DMA FINLAND – Asiakkuusmarkkinointiliitto, ASML | www.asml.fi | @asiakkuus

What is data from customers, consumers, users and taxpayers used for in practice? For services and trade. For business and marketing in connection with these, and also for optimizing selections, service structures, a number of details, and for many other things. Data and the customer understanding to be drawn from the data are the new black of business. And they are the core not only of business, but also of public services. At least they ought to be. What happens at service meetings, what is good service made up of? Service is about a relationship and a dialogue connected with it. Discussion and understanding. In the past and even today, the shopkeeper and the local doctor are met eye to eye, face to face. When an old-time village shopkeeper or local doctor serves a customer with elegance and dedication, data is exchanged. Lots of data.

A clever shopkeeper or doctor offering customers excellent service • remembers and makes use of all previous meetings, their nuances, the customer’s character as well as emotional, functional and technical details in the overall situation. • prepares himself for any service meeting by making use of all he knows about the meeting • recalls history and gets ready to meet his customer • makes use of all he learns during the meeting: tones, contents, pauses, references, etc. • clarifies, specifies and focuses his communication and measures while making use of old, fresh and new information • makes use of the information he just received in his measures and in his understanding of the person’s requirements to improve his service at later meetings.

DMA FINLAND – Asiakkuusmarkkinointiliitto, ASML | www.asml.fi | @asiakkuus

What happened in that example? Data was used maximally. Maximizing – not minimizing – of data is the starting point and the thing that good service is made up of. When people meet and talk, their brains act like data intensive machines – in fact, they are just that – efficient and emotional data intensive neuronets. According to brain research, the human brain uses and examines maximally real-time and previous data from all kinds of signals from the other person: gestures, expressions, words, glances, postures, pauses, high speed, low speed. Why should the starting point in a digital service environment be minimizing of data? It shouldn’t. And it shouldn’t in the EU regulation concerning data protection.

So let the digital service environment, public as well as private, get a good share of data. Safely, but maximally. Maximal use of data is the basic requirement for understanding. The basic requirement for genuine meeting and good service. Ladies and Gentlemen! Thank you for these 5 minutes. Let’s understand each other. Let’s understand what is being regulated. Let’s understand these things maximally. Ps. Everyone sure realised that this text do not handle widely discussed 3rd party data issues. Text was inspired by: Human Face of Big Data, humanfaceofbigdata.com Sheena Iyengar; Art of Choosing Marco Iacoboni; Mirroring People Last but least: Draft EU Data Protection Regulation

DMA FINLAND – Asiakkuusmarkkinointiliitto, ASML | www.asml.fi | @asiakkuus