Lessons from Cambridge Analytica Incident

If FB users can learn one important lesson from the Cambridge Analytica Incident, where the data of nearly 50 Million Facebook users was allegedly used to manipulate the USA Elections, it is this, there’s no such thing as a free lunch when it comes to sharing personal data like images, posts and preferences on social networking sites.

Though these sites and apps are purportedly free because they do not charge users, it is a no brainer that they get their Return on Investment (ROI) from the mountains of personal data that can be mined with the help of algorithms to enhance user experience and sell relevant advertisements.

Gullible users willingly share their personal data with these sites without understanding the consequences. However, even knowledgeable users face a conundrum when signing up for such sites and apps. For instance, whenever a user downloads an app, it tells you all it is capable of. You have to click on the agree button if you want to avail of the services.

The Facebook app, among other things, tells you that it can directly call numbers, read phone status and identity, read your text messages, take pictures and videos, record audio, record your approximate location, precise location, modify your contacts, real call logs, read your contacts, add or modify calendar events and send emails to guests without owners knowledge, read calendar events plus confidential information, read, modify or even delete the contents of your memory card and add or remove accounts.

Smartphone and mobile apps can make one a smart and efficient employee with all the information they collect as a trade-off, similar to how websites and e-commerce sites provide better services with the help of cookies, small pieces of code that track your online behavior and predict your next move with great accuracy.

Besides, ad networks may gather the information apps collect, including your location data, and may combine it with the kind of information you provide when you register for a service or buy something online to send you targeted ads that may be relevant to someone with your preferences and in your location.

Privacy by design effectively means that privacy principles such as preventing harm, transparency, choice, etc., are built into the architecture of the product itself. Thus, businesses need to include privacy and its related principles at the time of building of the product itself and not as an afterthought. Further, given that privacy by design presumes that the user is central to the entire system, meaningful consent and the real ability to withdraw this consent is another fundamental premise.

In many cases such as Aadhaar where the case in sub judice, quasi-government bodies will consistently pressure you to sign up, failing which you will have to run to the courts to queue up for justice. So you may end up signing up for these services, either because you feel helpless to fight the state or just do not have enough time to fight the system. India desperately needs a separate Privacy Act. The Right to Privacy, as enshrined in the Constitution, does not suffice when it comes to information security.

India also lacks a comprehensive policy on data protection or online security – the Indian Information Technology Act (2008) or amended rules in 2011 are not adequate. The Electronic Frontier Foundation advocates that “tech companies can and should do more to protect users, including giving users far more control over what data is collected and how that data is used.

Globally, the European Union (EU) is the most stringent when it comes to data protection. After four years of preparation and debate, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was finally approved by the EU Parliament on 14 April 2016. The enforcement date is 25 May 2018, and companies that do not comply with this law may face heavy fines. GDPR replaces the Data Protection Directive (95/46/EC) and “was designed to harmonize data privacy laws across Europe, to protect and empower all EU citizens’ data privacy and to reshape the way organizations across the region approach data privacy”, according to GDPR Portal.

The positive fallout of the Facebook data compromise is that the Indian government, too, is firming up its long-term strategy to secure data of citizens, especially those using social media. As Algorithms increasingly enhance user experience and the bottom line of firms, users must not let their guard down since these very algorithms can enable unparalleled invasions of privacy.

It’s Time for “Apponomics”

Having an app is not a need now; e-commerce firms are actively pushing their consumers to their apps and encouraging them to buy through them with attractive discounts and sales. There was a time when sale was put on once or twice a year, but in present era it is every day and several hours sale. For a large percentage of Indians, the mobile phone is either the only or the primary gateway of the Internet.

Internet based companies and social media platforms are in race to acquire Mobile platforms companies. Mobile app also means less data usage and lower load on the server. Marketing cost on mobile app is lower than desktop. This year InMobi, the world’s largest independent mobile advertising company launched its first book, “Apponomics – The Insider Guide to a Billion dollar App Business.” This book is helpful for developers to turn their apps into a successful and sustainable global business.

The great benefit of e-commerce is one can click and buy. But there is a biggest challenge in Mobile app, one has to demonstrate to the people how wonderful the app is so they can download it in the first place and then show them how great the shopping experience could be over and over again. Between a Mobile app and Mobile website, mobile apps are faster and can provide a better customer experience.

There are crucial differences in the way mobile apps and mobile websites allow customers to navigate and experience the shopping journey. Although a mobile app functions a lot like a mobile website but it has certain functional and operational benefits over a mobile website. It gives businesses the advantage of having their own corner on a customer device. Because users have to download and install the app, businesses have more control over their presence on a device. For instance, a mobile app can be closed or inactive, but it still works in the background to send geotargeted push notifications and gather data about the customer preferences and behavior.

There are various considerations before making Mobile apps for a business. Cost of development is high and need to be developed and maintained separately for iOS and Android. It is possible to design Mobile apps for offline usage. Mobile apps provide high speed and rich user experience. In the end, Mobile is the primary source of traffic and conversions and it is becoming one. Products or service is sticky resulting in high percentage of repeat visitors and transactions and a loyal customer base makes the business case for apps very easy.

Will Websites become Obsolete in Future?

India has the third largest mobile users in the world. In future, usability of mobile will increase more and same for mobile apps. Major number of Internet based businesses in India, reach and does business through mobile apps. In the past, I wrote an article on Mobile apps named “Planet of the Apps”. Then a question strike in my mind, what if “Websites become obsolete in future’. In present time because of increase in number of mobile phones, tablets, notebooks, laptops, PC’s have become obsolete. After discussion with my friends, seniors, teachers, and internet research, finally I came to know about many views.

In my opinion, benefits of mobile apps are there reach-ability. One doesn’t need High Internet connectivity to operate an app. People outside metro cities can operate an app in low internet connection. They can place orders, view an online business app layout etc. But then I thought, an app can give information but one will always need website to get more information available on apps. Trend will shift to mobile optimized sites than PC but one can’t eliminate websites from mobile apps. This is possible in countries where mobile is becoming a dominating player. In some countries mobile utilization is still less as compare to PCs or Laptops. 

Now, I thought of usability of mobile and desktop computers. Desktop are used in many professions that still require power and flexibility that desktop offers, notably in movie making, video editing, and sound. It is all about using the right tool for the job. For a person who mostly browsers, posts socially and makes purchase online, then a portable device is needed and the choice between a desktop and a portable device is easy because it can meet all requirements and one can carry it around. However, if needs big screen desktop and work from one place then PCs are first choice. In future, we may see mobile becoming the portable devices replacing laptops.

So, I think future of devices will tend to towards a single device that can take many roles. Because presently there are many problems with Mobile phones in terms of Display power, screen technology, processing power and battery life. Future of websites will be driven by the hardware and the usage. We wouldn’t have mobile apps today if we didn’t have powerful mobile devices. Therefore, many thoughts emerged on this question of mine and finally I can say Future of Websites is not obsolete. We may see mobile driven websites and large portable mobile devices, which may take it years to hit the market.

Planet of the Apps

India has the third largest mobile user’s country in the world. With data showing Indian users, spend an average 198 minutes each day on their smartphones. It is believed that mobile phones are the future of an economy. Soon laptops may become obsolete and everything in the world will be operated through smartphones and tablets. Many companies are trying to make this happen.

Smartphones are used on a large scale because of 1.3 Million Android apps and 1.2 Million Apple app available to use. With introduction of mobile apps, most businesses in the world are turning their focuses towards mobile apps. Especially in the Internet based business. For E-commerce, business mobile app is the future. Mobile apps began appearing in 2008 and are operated by Operating system of a mobile. Mobile app is a short version of a website and a handy layout to operate.

Every social networking, news, business, entertainment, and sports have their apps. This not only will increase the usability and business for app developers, but will also increase the use of smartphones. In India, number of toiletries is less than the number of smartphones people have. Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, and Google are the most dominating companies in mobile apps. I remember the first app I used was the Shazam in my Nokia Symbian phone six years back.

After that Whatsapp, the most used chat app in the world. As the time passes by, now I use plenty of apps in my Android Smartphone. It has become easy for me to collect any information in an instant of time from mobile apps. There is no doubt that mobile app developers and companies will grow more. However, there will be time when everything will be available on the app. Most e-commerce business they use mobile apps because 70% of orders are placed from mobile apps.

The benefit of companies from mobile apps is that they collect user information and can sell that information to other companies in millions. Now talking about, E-tail companies give more discounts on ordering from mobile apps. In India, E-tail companies offer vouchers for other businesses too. Amazon was the first company in India to launch app sale, although Flipkart did planning first. However, there is an increase in growth of mobile apps and a majority of this growth is coming from outside of metro cities.

If internet reach is more in rural India then increase in number of users for mobile apps will also increase. However, new government “Digital India” initiative can make this possible. This will not only add value to reach people but will also contribute to Indian Economy. More companies will emerge out and people from Rural India can bring their businesses online.

Mobile Technology will charge Indian Economy

Over the last few decades, the Indian Economy has witnessed a significant transformation. From being primarily an agricultural economy, the services sector has overtaken and has become the leading contributor to growth. E-commerce sector is also emerging as the largest contributor to growth of Indian Economy. Within the services sector, the communication sector has grown at an astonishing 25.7% from 2000-01 to 2008-09. Even during the financial crisis year of 2008-09, while other sectors slowed down, communication sector continued its forward march.

Since then, the importance and role of telecom sub-sector and services is well known. Rising per-capita income and introduction of affordable handsets and lowest call rates have all led to an explosion in the subscriber case. India is the second largest user of mobile in the world with 900 Million users in the world, it accounted for 12% of world’s online population. Findings reveal that every 10% increase in mobile penetration rate leads to a 1.2% increase in GDP.

In last 2-3 years, e-commerce sector emerged as the astonishing business sector. E-commerce companies revealed that maximum number of users explore and order products from mobile. Therefore, companies are shifting their marketing focus towards mobile technology. In the next five years, E-commerce sector will contribute up to 2% to Indian Economy. Mobile apps are becoming the key thing for every company and business today.

For developing markets, basic mobile services still dominate and mobile data is the next wave of development. A doubling of mobile data use leads to a growth in the GDP per capita growth rate of 0.5 percentage points. Telecom companies are coming with 4G penetration in the market, which will be new boost to economy. Research said that, a 10% rise in 3G-penetration increases GDP per capita growth by 0.15 percentage points.

Next thing, which will charge Indian Economy, is the Internet. Every business is dependent on Internet these days. No apps, no site can run without Internet. It has become the necessity of human being today. Mobile phones are more useful when they are connected to Internet. India lacks behind in providing good internet connectivity to its citizens. However, government and big firms like Google, Facebook are working on drones project to provide Internet connection to all citizens across the world.

There are several other benefits of mobile phones. They significantly help to maintain physical and psychological health when family members move away from home. In addition, they enable women to maintain three roles within the household, simultaneously being wives, mothers, and wage earners. More mobile phones subscriptions are correlated with more democratic participation, less gender inequality and longer time spent in education. In all three areas, the impact of mobiles on social development indicators is stronger in developing countries. All these benefits of Mobile technology will charge Indian Economy.