Really interesting post from JupiterResearch’s Eric Peterson, refuting and discussing some of the criticism that’s been hurled at his controversial report on cookie deletion.
Consumers are simultaneously confused and concerned about cookies. This is the important point — [Seth] Godin and others appear to be arguing that consumers are not engaged enough to figure out how to do something as technically simple as using their browser, anti-spyware application or operating system to delete cookies. Were we asking about something more banal than privacy and security on the Internet I would wholeheartedly agree with Seth.
However, we live in a climate of fear. Internet privacy and Internet security are constantly being discussed online and offline, ChoicePoint and Lexis/Nexus are in the news, AOL and Earthlink run anti-virus and anti-spyware commercials. Consumers have every reason to be concerned about identity theft, phishing scams and privacy invasion — not because the problem is actually that pressing but because the media (bloggers included) keep these subjects top of mind every day. Think about it. When is the last time a week went by that you didn’t read/see/hear something about a privacy hack?
UPDATE: Now Threadwatch comments on Eric’s defense.