Say hello to the Web's first info-thingamajiggy.
No, wait, infomediary. Yeah, that's it.
PrivaSeek on Wednesday launched Persona Valet as one of a handful of infomediaries that aim to negotiate the exchange of personal data between consumers and Web sites.
See also: The Dawn of the Infomediary- - - - - -
"Consumers now have a tool that really enables them to grab control of and manage their personal information," said Amy Claire Wild, PrivaSeek's vice president of marketing.
"[Consumers control] their preferences about their particular interests, and how that can manifest itself in terms of receiving things that are of interest to them."
In beta since May, Persona Valet is just one of a gaggle of offerings from companies that are seeking to gain a foothold in world of privacy self-regulation.
On Monday PrivacyBank.com, another infomediary, also entered public beta, and others such as Lumeria are testing in the background. All hope to serve as your personal information broker, negotiating privacy preferences with Web firms on your behalf.
"[Sites] get your data, but only if you say it's OK," Wild said. "Maybe I don't want them to have my address, but want them to understand that I'm a single female, in a certain age range looking for a new car. I just want to shop on the Web without being inundated with emails or phone calls."
But infomediaries first need to overcome an apparent reluctance on the part of consumers and businesses to hand over the keys to data.
One former PrivaSeek beta tester said that the Persona Valet was difficult and convoluted.
"I think a company has about 10 seconds of screen time to make me understand how their product works, or I just pass on it," the tester said in an email. "Sure, I like privacy, too. But how does the d$#m thing work? And how can I trust THEM? Yikes."
