• by Laurie Sullivan , Staff Writer @lauriesullivan, May 4, 2020

Killi's fair-trade data program, launched last week, builds on the ability for consumers to opt-in and share information -- and get paid -- if a brand or company such as McDonald’s, Staples or GM chooses to purchase it.

“The data marketplace is a black box of human arbitrage, a passive collection of consumer data, without compensation,” said Killi CEO Neil Sweeney. “Buying data in the future will include the consumer. When we looked across other industries, new and emerging services and products, all involved the consumers. And that’s what the data industry lacked.”

Launching a project during a pandemic and failing economy with 22 million people unemployed in the United States that pays consumers for their data might prove beneficial -- not just for consumers, but for the entire advertising ecosystem.

Brands also will have an option to create a relationship with consumers as Google prepares to stop supporting third-party cookies in ad targeting. In this instance, the identifier is powered by the consumer.

In a partnership with data science and tech-company 0ptimus, Killi rolled out its California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) compliant audience taxonomy, supported by global media agency Havas Media.

Sweeney called the project “a new form of ethical data,” which creates audience segments that are CCPA-privacy compliant and compensates the consumer for using their data. The data segments are available to integrate into platforms including LiveRamp, Trade Desk, Xander and others.

Consumers access the Killi app or website to pick and choose the data they want to share. If a brand buys $10,000 in data, Killi takes 50% of the proceeds and shares it with every person contributing to that audience segment. The money is automatically deposited into the user’s account. The business model enables brands to have a relationship with the consumer.

The CCPA Compliant Audience Taxonomy comprises about 100 segments, including political affiliation, shopping behavior, mobile phone brands and preferences, and credit card preferences.

Other taxonomies are planned in the coming months, to include incremental data segments, platforms and brands.