The Diet Coke Principle
I’m not a big fan of Tim Cook but one thing I will definitely give him credit for getting right is setting Apple’s tone when it comes to the privacy of user data. He was preaching privacy before it was cool. Perhaps in hindsight it’ll become evident that he was exactly the perfect person at a crucial point in history.
He’s also done a good job of making the case to the media on why this important. As a consequence, the message is getting through to current and potential Apple customers that if you want to minimize the leakage of your data, use iOS products.
But I’ve heard various tech journalists over the past couple of months ridicule Apple customers for trying to keep their data safe by using Apple products. Their argument is that you are losing so much privacy everywhere else that it barely matters what phone you use. They say that these same privacy-minded iPhone owners are using a grocery store rewards card or surfing the web on browsers that track their every move. So why bother?
Your Phone Is Unique In What It Knows
First, you can’t compare the limited scope of information that stores will get from your rewards card program to what your phone knows. I used to be an analyst for the Cabela’s Corporation and I would sift through our customer card database for hours while researching various projects. It’s very helpful to track customer buying habits through history and try to correlate with pricing promotions. But the information gleaned was limited to the in-store behavior.
The information on your phone is far more in-depth. It knows what you bought in the store, where you went next, and who you texted while in the store. And even now, it’s beginning to track your vital signs while you do it all. If you had to pick one item to be leaky, you definitely don’t want it to be your phone.
Even web browsers only capture a limited slice of data. The phone is unique in that it seems to tie everything together to bring a comprehensive picture of who you are and what you do.
Do What You Can
The argument that you’re already losing so much data in other places so why bother safe guarding your phone is also faulty because it ignores our natural desire to minimize the problem.
I’m one of those shlubs that will go to Pizza Hut and order a Diet Coke to go along with my deep dish Meat Lover’s pizza. At times this decision will cause laughter among my kids. What’s the point of Diet Coke when I’m already consuming five thousand calories of meat and cheese? Is ordering a Diet Coke relatively meaningless when it comes to losing weight if I continue to order pizza? Yes. Do I feel like I’m minimizing the problem by ordering a Diet Coke? Also a yes.
Even if I were to concede the point that it is meaningless to desire privacy in a world where your toothbrush or refrigerator is a WiFi connected device. I would still desire to pick from devices where I know that my data is secure due to the “Diet Coke” principle. The Diet Coke principle simply means “Do what you can, where you can”.
Whether it’s safeguarding our privacy or minimizing calories the principle is the same. Do what you can to minimize the problem. Just because you can’t win every battle is no excuse to give up the war. And if there is one device that you want to keep private, it’s your phone. Your WiFi connected toothbrush or Kroger Rewards card can’t tie together all of your data like your phone can.
Also, the Diet Coke Principle makes me feel better. And this may be the real boon for Apple from a marketing perspective. Whether I drink Diet Coke or chose iOS I feel like I’m making the wise choice. So even if I was losing the larger war overall, I can at least take some solace in the fact that I haven’t given up. I’m doing…something. I’m going to win those battles where I can, even if they’re small.
But I’ve heard various tech journalists over the past couple of months ridicule Apple customers for trying to keep their data safe by using Apple products. Their argument is that you are losing so much privacy everywhere else that it barely matters what phone you use. They say that these same privacy-minded iPhone owners are using a grocery store rewards card or surfing the web on browsers that track their every move. So why bother?
Your Phone Is Unique In What It Knows
First, you can’t compare the limited scope of information that stores will get from your rewards card program to what your phone knows. I used to be an analyst for the Cabela’s Corporation and I would sift through our customer card database for hours while researching various projects. It’s very helpful to track customer buying habits through history and try to correlate with pricing promotions. But the information gleaned was limited to the in-store behavior.
The information on your phone is far more in-depth. It knows what you bought in the store, where you went next, and who you texted while in the store. And even now, it’s beginning to track your vital signs while you do it all. If you had to pick one item to be leaky, you definitely don’t want it to be your phone.
Even web browsers only capture a limited slice of data. The phone is unique in that it seems to tie everything together to bring a comprehensive picture of who you are and what you do.
Do What You Can
The argument that you’re already losing so much data in other places so why bother safe guarding your phone is also faulty because it ignores our natural desire to minimize the problem.
I’m one of those shlubs that will go to Pizza Hut and order a Diet Coke to go along with my deep dish Meat Lover’s pizza. At times this decision will cause laughter among my kids. What’s the point of Diet Coke when I’m already consuming five thousand calories of meat and cheese? Is ordering a Diet Coke relatively meaningless when it comes to losing weight if I continue to order pizza? Yes. Do I feel like I’m minimizing the problem by ordering a Diet Coke? Also a yes.
Even if I were to concede the point that it is meaningless to desire privacy in a world where your toothbrush or refrigerator is a WiFi connected device. I would still desire to pick from devices where I know that my data is secure due to the “Diet Coke” principle. The Diet Coke principle simply means “Do what you can, where you can”.
Whether it’s safeguarding our privacy or minimizing calories the principle is the same. Do what you can to minimize the problem. Just because you can’t win every battle is no excuse to give up the war. And if there is one device that you want to keep private, it’s your phone. Your WiFi connected toothbrush or Kroger Rewards card can’t tie together all of your data like your phone can.
Also, the Diet Coke Principle makes me feel better. And this may be the real boon for Apple from a marketing perspective. Whether I drink Diet Coke or chose iOS I feel like I’m making the wise choice. So even if I was losing the larger war overall, I can at least take some solace in the fact that I haven’t given up. I’m doing…something. I’m going to win those battles where I can, even if they’re small.
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