Channel 4’s Data Capture Project Assisted by Igniyte

Igniyte have been involved in Channel 4’s Data Baby project that looked into how much data could be found online about an individual.

With an individual’s privacy rights being a hot topic right now and with the recent Prism spying scandal, Channel 4 set out to create a fictitious person and with Igniyte’s help, created online profiles, gave them a job and sent out press releases relating to the individual.

Igniyte was also asked to join a Channel 4 Google Hangout to discuss online privacy and discuss with a few other industry experts opinion and issues relating to the use of personal information online.

Igniyte commented that throughout the data baby project one of the most alarming facts was that in making up an entirely fictitious character, not one social media platform or PR syndication service checked or verified that the information was correct…or in fact real. With the internet unregulated at the moment, the use of personal and company information is open to mis-use.

The mis-use of social profile and online review sites in order to post negative comments and content about an individual or company is increasing. It’s now estimated that one in six reviews are false. Igniyte have many clients who are the subject of online abuse. We work with our clients to get these posts removed from the search engines and websites and also to create content that is optimised to sit above any negative content.