DMer ON THE STREET

Invasion of Privacy? DIRECT asked attendees at the recent National Center for Database Marketing conference in Las Vegas how privacy issues have affected the way they use and collect customer data. Here’s what they said.

We have to comply with federal regulations regarding student data. When prospective students come to us, the information they give is treated as student data. – Jean A. McGrath, Director of Student Services Department of Distance Education Pennsylvania State University

We have never shared information with third parties. We value the privacy of our members. [Even when we send out data for analysis] their member numbers are scrambled. – Boris Mack, Senior Business Line Analyst Kaiser Permanente, Pasadena, CA

We rely on our opt-in panel. If someone says they are under 13, they are no longer allowed to sign up [for our online research studies]. – Bonnie Giegold, Manager, Panel Operations Greenfield Online, Wilton, CT

We’re looking into double permission, although we haven’t started it yet. But this [type of outreach marketing] is relatively new for the yellow pages industry. A lot of things that may be old hat in other areas of direct marketing, we are just now implementing in the yellow pages. – Robert Burgess, Group Manager, Database Marketing Services Verizon Information Services Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, TX