What should you know about Data Targeting?

A Brief Introduction

Data is unprocessed facts, figures or numbers. Data, by itself, is meaningless. It is rudimentary and unrefined. For example: 30 years old, Black, Singer, likes ice cream. This is meaningless data that could describe millions of people. It is anonymous and tells us nothing specific.

However, gather just a few more details, and that anonymity disappears. The process of connecting and analyzing data points, often to influence behavior or sell a product, is called Data Targeting. It is essentially the process of de-anonymizing data.

Meet Ben

Ben is a 42 year old, single father, raising a daughter.  He works as a contractor in construction, a job that requires heavy lifting. He lives in a quiet suburb next to a largely immigrant neighborhood. When Ben works late, his daughter stays with the neighbor. They mostly eat takeout and fast food, often using services like Uber Eats and Grubhub. On weekends, they enjoy gardening together. [Ben’s story is fictional but this scenario is very real].

In many countries, companies are LEGALLY allowed to sell your public data — with some caveats (to be discussed in further posts).

Let’s say Uber sells Ben’s search and order history to a credit card or insurance company. Now these companies have an idea of Ben’s eating habits, job risk level, family situation, and financial pressures. If Ben applies for a loan or insurance policy, his rates might go up—not because of something he said, but because his digital footprint suggests he’s a higher risk applicant.

Ben also posts photos of gardening with his daughter on Facebook. Facebook may then sell this data, including GPS coordinates (that highlight his proximity to a huge immigrant population), to political consulting firms. Soon after, Ben receives targeted mail about the “dangers” of immigration—designed to stir anxiety and influence his vote based on his daughter’s safety.

This isn’t far-fetched. It mirrors what happened in the infamous Facebook–Cambridge Analytica scandal, where harvested personal data was used to sway public opinion in elections.

So,here’s the question: If you were a business owner or a global corporation, how much would you pay for a detailed customer profile—one that lets you show the right ad to the right person at the right time?

The answer: a lot. Because accurate targeting means higher conversions, less wasted effort, and more profit.

Why This Matters

As artificial intelligence becomes more sophisticated, data targeting is becoming even more powerful (and profitable).

Data Targeting, like many business practices, is neither good nor bad. But there must be clear and stringent regulations to protect consumers who have little understanding of how their data is collected, sold, and used. Most countries like the U.S. (via state laws like California’s CCPA) and the EU (GDPR) have begun to develop strict guidelines and regulations to protect consumers’ data. 

My country, Nigeria, recently passed its most comprehensive protection legislation in 2023. It is called the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 (NDPA). This legislation replaced the previous 2019 regulations and is proof that African countries are thinking seriously about their international fiduciary responsibilities to protect their citizens. 

Personally, if my behavior, online or in person, constituted monetary reward for an individual/ business, I would at least like to know, including having the knowledge of how to opt in or out of this money making scheme.

So, homework for readers…what country are you from? Does your country have a Data Protection legislation? And if so, what year was it passed?