[In:Confidence Digital] Data Privacy Technology and Consumer Empowerment

The software and services market is dominated by a handful of powerful incumbents that have gradually but increasingly encroached on consumer agency under the guise of engagement and personalization. The result has been case after case of privacy invasions, technology addiction, and intent manipulation. and consumers find themselves in a take-it-or-leave-it situation: they may be unhappy with the trade-off but are unable to find solutions that take their side. While the incumbents’ dominant market position may seem unassailable, they are far more vulnerable than they appear because their business model is under threat from government regulation, antitrust scrutiny, and consumer backlash. Consumer-controlled identity will be fundamental for any company to create experiences that delight consumers, leveraging a new set of business models and innovations that look quite different from those employed today.