In response to the recent spate of data security breaches on retailers and others, today the Direct Marketing Association issued a call to action to all data-driven marketers to recommit to DMA’s long-standing commitment to ensure the security of consumer data.
The call to action derived from the approval of new Business Ethical Guidelines around data security by the association Board of Directors today, and outlines several new steps that the DMA will take to guide industry best practices and advocate strong data security protections before policymakers at the federal and state levels.
“Earning consumer trust requires proactive, purposeful action,” said DMA President and CEO Linda A. Woolley. “Recent headlines have been full of news about data breaches, and while such situations are a risk of modern business and difficult to prevent, DMA believes that the best defense is a strong offense. DMA standards help businesses ensure that they are protected and ready.”
DMA calls on every data-driven marketer to take proactive measures to further enhance data security across the data-driven marketing industry:
- Develop and implement a data integrity and governance program;
- Read and utilize in all marketing practices the principles and guidance outlined in the updated Ethical Guidelines for data security and other marketing practices issues by DMA as part of our public trust with consumers;
- Continue to work as part of DMA with policymakers to enact a national standard for data breach notification. DMA has been supportive of a federal breach notification law; and
- Work with internal and industry stakeholders to identify additional data security measures and practices to help reduce the risk of data breaches across the ecosystem.