William Dickson
Cache Cow
Cache Cow is an attempt at informing the public about the shady Data Brokerage Industry through the use of fun imagery and an abstract concept.
Artist/Thesis Statement
Everyone would like to believe that their private information is theirs alone. While this seems like a basic human right, the truth is if you are an internet user, your information is being sold by high-level corporations and other shadier entities. Many people like to think that the world wide web is free, and to an extent they’re correct. However, instead of a monthly subscription or flat fees, people pay to use the web by volunteering private information. Why would anyone do that, you might ask. Unfortunately, the answer is that most people are unaware they are giving away this personal data.
The Data Brokerage Industry makes $200 BILLION ANNUALLY through the buying and selling of information we are all led to believe is stored securely in a server that no one has access to. The only reason they can get away with this is because technically these companies asked for your permission. Have you ever accepted a terms of service request? That wall of text filled with language that most people would not be able to decipher without a lawyer present. By agreeing to these terms of service, you are more than likely allowing the website you’re using to sell any information you submit to the highest bidder.
Cache Cow aims to make people aware that this is a reality. While taking action against such a big industry would be a massive undertaking, the first step is awareness. In order to achieve this, it was important to make the branding bold and easily approachable. Otherwise, anything I say is just as useful as a terms of service page. Through the use of bright colors, easily digestible messages, and the abstract analogy of relating data to milk and subsequently consumers of the web to “cache cows” I intend to reach as many people as possible. While the internet feels like an established part of society in the current age, the truth is that it is still in its infancy. There are many things that we still need to resolve before we continue to consume a “free” internet.
