We talk a lot about ethically sourced data over at TARTLE HQ. It’s a big part of our drive to show buyers why they should be using us. Yet, whenever we talk to companies and organizations that purchase data, we find they are using third-party data. They willingly admit they don’t really know what the true source of the data is and that this is probably a weakness. However, they also believe this is their only option. They are convinced there is not an alternative way of acquiring data out there. What is interesting is that a lot of data buyers don’t love that they feel trapped in that system. Many would actually prefer a more ‘farm to table’ approach to getting their data but have no idea how to go about that.
TARTLE of course provides exactly this service. We allow buyers to be in direct contact with the people they are buying data from. Yes, people. That’s how you know this is a truly ethical way of sourcing data, it respects the people behind the data and gives buyers the chance to realize and experience that. It makes it harder for people to make all of their business decisions in an abstract, theoretical world in which no one is actually affected by those decisions. When you get your data from the source, it’s much easier to realize that your decisions will either help or harm others, a fact that is more likely to keep your efforts honest.
There are a few other positive effects to ethically sourcing your data through TARTLE. One is that you get to feel better about how it was acquired. You know where it came from and you actually pay the individual for it. There is full consent involved, it wasn’t skimmed or scammed or gotten through any sort of back door method.
That data is also much more granular. You can really understand the ins and outs of how that data you’ve purchased reflects the person’s life, and how it is affected by…whatever it is you are collecting data about. Whether it’s a product or service you have recently launched, one you will launch or you are conducting a medical study on respiratory issues in different parts of the world, you are getting a full picture, not just of the particular data points you are immediately interested in but of their context as well. Context in turn is precisely what gives you greater understanding of the data, enabling you to make more efficient use of it through making better decisions.
Now, to be fair, getting data through us takes a bit more time and work. At least at first. It’s a different process and it will take getting used to. It will require a bit of patience to figure out how to ask the right questions so you get the responses that will be the most helpful to you. Of course, it isn’t as easy as buying a bunch of third-party data and feeding it through a prescribed algorithm to get…something.
Our system will seem more difficult at first but that is only because it takes time to get the best data. I saw a sign at a burger joint the other day that said “Be patient, real burgers take time”. Data is the same way. Real data, real information takes time to acquire, but in the end, it is obviously worth it.
Not to mention, buyers need to realize that when they collect data, they really do have a responsibility to treat the sources of their data with respect, not because in the end, it will make your bottom line grow but because those sources are in fact people, people who have rights, dreams and desires of their own. So, if you don’t like the third-party system, we are here. Work with us and ethically source your data and help lift up others in the process.
What’s their data worth? www.tartle.co
