I’ve recently written about the privacy challenges of some “passive” research tools, specifically in the social media space.

No sooner had I written this, than ESOMAR’s Research World publishes an article by George Pappachen and Richard Coombe titled “Licence to Peek” on the same issue.

As they put it:

“…data management and consumer privacy – especially in relation to online practices – have become hugely strategic issues for industries that are reliant on consumer data for insight, analytics, and predictive references.”

I don’t think the industry will make it out of the privacy thicket unscathed.

In fact, I think additional privacy regulations and a societal backlash will push MR more toward proprietary online communities where consumers freely opt-in and participate.