Martin Sorell warns : Prism will alter attitudes towards data

Martin Sorell rightly calls Google, Twitter, facebook et al "media companies masquerading as technology companies", and believes that The Guardian’s revelation about the National Security Agency PRISM program will directly affect consumer behavior. Not just the old farts who have been online since 1990s, but also for the snapchatting kids who have grown up online and have a very different attitude toward privacy. This will change. (Finally!)

Speaking to Brandrepublic in Cannes Sorell says "Prism will alter attitudes towards data".

"I think it’s going to alter the attitude of younger people too. This sort of event, which I think would affect more under 35-year-olds than over 35-year-olds – who I think will be more sanguine about this sort of activity.

"Issues of privacy, data privacy, data collection, opt-in and the nature of the opt-in and the basis on which it’s being made will become more important... Will young people be un-phased and still disseminate data, I doubt it."

In the week the G8 leaders met in Northern Ireland to talk widely about transparency, trade and development, Sorrell also acknowledged that Prism revelations undermines the UK and US stance in favour of an open internet on the international stage.

"It’s a bit difficult," he said. "The timing is very interesting because you have the G2 [where the US asked China to take seriously cybercrime and alleged hacking efforts of US government servers] but it didn’t stop President Obama from saying it to president Xi Jinping. But the boot is on both feet."