What companies do with customer data needs to be considered more closely.

“Alexa, order more tissues.”
“Siri, set a reminder to phone the doctor.”
“OK Google, turn on the light in the hallway upstairs.”

After an initial phase of euphoria about how the digital world improves our daily life with virtual assistants, among other gadgets and services, slowly but surely, we’re coming firmly back to earth. Post-honeymoon, the breakneck speed of digital development has created an increasing number of concerns. The societal debate is now focused, in particular, on our right to privacy and the increasing market power of the digital giants.

European politicians have meanwhile woken up. After a somewhat premature Dutch law limiting the cookies companies could install on computers, the European Union will implement the General Data Protection Regulation in 2018, providing European citizens with more transparency and control of their own data.
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The activities of Google, Facebook and the rest of the Big Five are also now pursued critically with regard to abuse on several fronts, including market power, payment of taxes and news distribution, resulting in probes and fines by the EU and, in the United States, executives appearing before Congress.
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