ADMA’s “Am I the weakest link: Privacy edition” explores the idea that the privacy data chain is made up of six main parties – the marketer, the consumer, the platform, the agency, the government, and the board – all with the potential to be ‘the weakest link’. However, each of these parties contribute in different ways to the standard of data practices in Australia’s economy. Can we really point the finger at any one party?
In this article series, we will deep dive into each of the links in the chain, assess the areas for improvement and how marketers can help strengthen the chain overall through their own roles. 

Agencies often act as an executional extension of a brand’s marketing team, and in doing so, they regularly handle personal and/or sensitive consumer information. In this article, we explore three key weaknesses agencies contribute to the privacy chain including fragmented accountability, a culture of speed over security, and inconsistent data handling standards.

When it comes to the data privacy chain, few parties hold as much data or influence as platforms. Social media platforms in particular act as the central point where consumer data is aggregated, monetised, and distributed. In this article, we explore three major weaknesses platforms contribute to the data privacy chain including poor data transparency, an overreliance on algorithms, and inadequate enforcement of third-party policies.

The role the consumer plays in the data privacy chain is a pivotal one. In this article, we explore three key weaknesses consumers have when it comes to data practices. That is, data ignorance, privacy policy neglect, and password practices. We will then assess how each of these weaknesses has data privacy ramifications and discuss how to best remedy these areas for improvement.

In this article, we explore three key weaknesses marketers have when it comes to data practices. That is, collecting excess data, not obtaining the correct consent, and limited formal compliance training. Each of these weaknesses has ramifications for both data privacy and for organisations, so we will discuss how to best remedy these areas for improvement.