Market research is an activity that helps companies or organizations make better decisions by collecting, analyzing and interpreting relevant information about the market, consumers, competitors, etc. A market research company is a professional organization that provides market research services, and its core competitiveness lies in its ability to obtain, process and utilize large amounts of data. However, in the era of digital economy, data is not only an important factor of production, but also a sensitive asset, and its security and privacy are receiving more and more attention and supervision. How to protect the data security and privacy of market research companies and their customers has become an urgent problem to be solved.

Data Security and Privacy Needs of 1. Market Research Companies

The data security and privacy needs of market research companies can be analyzed from the following three dimensions:

（1) Data Lifecycle

The data life cycle of a market research company includes the stages of data collection, storage, transmission, processing, sharing, and destruction. At each stage, there are different levels of data security and privacy risks, such:

In the data collection phase, malicious tampering, forgery, or theft may be encountered, resulting in data quality degradation or leakage;

During the data storage phase, events such as physical damage, artificial deletion or leakage may occur, resulting in data loss or leakage;

During the data transmission phase, attacks such as interception, tampering or disclosure may be encountered, resulting in data integrity or confidentiality damage;

In the data processing stage, problems such as wrong operation, illegal use or leakage may be encountered, resulting in damage to the accuracy or legality of the data;

During the data sharing phase, risks such as unauthorized, out-of-scope, or disclosure may be encountered, resulting in damage to data ownership or control;

During the data destruction phase, risks such as incomplete removal, recovery, or disclosure may be encountered, resulting in impaired data durability or traceability.

Therefore, market research companies need to implement effective technical and management measures throughout the data lifecycle to ensure that data security and privacy are fully protected.

（2) Data Sensitivity

Market research companies involve many types of data, some of which are sensitive, such:

Personal information refers to all kinds of information that can identify a specific natural person alone or in combination with other information, including name, ID number, telephone number, address, email address, bank account number, health status, consumption habits, etc;

Trade secret refers to the technical information and business information that is not known to the public, can bring economic benefits to the obligee, is practical, and has been protected by the obligee, including product design, production process, market strategy, customer list, etc;

Important data refers to data related to national security, economic development, social and public interests, including infrastructure operation data, government data, social security data, public health data, etc.

If this sensitive data is leaked or misused, it may cause serious damage to the data subject or data owner, such:

The disclosure or misuse of personal information may result in the violation of personal privacy, property loss, credit damage, identity theft and other consequences;

The leakage or abuse of trade secrets may lead to the decline of enterprise competitiveness, the loss of market share, the damage of brand image and other consequences;

The leakage or misuse of important data may result in threats to national security, hindered economic development, and damage to social and public interests.

Therefore, market research companies need to classify different types and levels of sensitive data and take appropriate protection measures to prevent data leakage or misuse.

（3) Value of Data

The data value of market research companies is reflected in the following aspects:

Data is the core asset of a market research company and the basis for providing services and creating value;

Data is the core competitiveness of market research companies, is the embodiment of its differences and advantages with other peers;

Data is the core innovation of market research companies and the driving force for them to develop new products and expand new markets.

These aspects show that the market research company's data has a high value. However, this value may also give rise to external or internal attacks or usurpation, such:

External attackers may steal or destroy the data of market research companies through hacking, phishing and other means to obtain improper benefits or cause malicious interference;

Internal invaders may steal or leak data from market research companies through insider leaks, employee turnover, etc., for personal gain or to provide intelligence to competitors.

Therefore, market research companies need to raise awareness of the value of their own data and strengthen the prevention and response to external attacks and internal encroachment.

Data Security and Privacy Policies for 2. Market Research Companies

Market research companies can adopt the following strategies when dealing with the challenges of data security and privacy protection:

（1) Develop data security and privacy policies

Market research companies should formulate data security and privacy policies that comply with national laws, regulations and industry standards, and be open and transparent to internal and external parties. These policies should include the following:

Objectives and principles of data security and privacy protection;

Responsibilities and obligations for data security and privacy protection;

Specific measures and norms for data security and privacy protection;

Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for data security and privacy protection;

Penalties and remedies for violations of data security and privacy protection.

Data security and privacy policies are the basis for market research companies to fulfill their data security and privacy responsibilities, and are also the prerequisite for market research companies to establish trust and cooperation with customers, partners, and regulatory authorities.

（2) Establish data security and privacy management system

Market research companies should establish a sound data security and privacy management system, including the following:

Data security and privacy management organization refers to the specialized agency or personnel responsible for formulating, implementing, monitoring and improving data security and privacy policies, such as data protection officers, data security committees, etc;

Data security and privacy management processes, which refer to standardized steps and methods for regulating business activities related to data security and privacy, such as data classification and grading, data collection licensing, data use authorization, data sharing agreements, etc;

Data security and privacy management tools refer to technical equipment or software that supports data security and privacy management processes, such as data encryption, data desensitization, data backup, and data auditing.

Data security and privacy management system is the key for market research companies to achieve data security and privacy protection, and it is also the guarantee for market research companies to improve data security and privacy.

（3) Adoption of privacy-enhancing technologies

Market research firms should adopt privacy-enhancing technologies (Privacy Enhancing Technologies，PETs），以在不影响数据分析效果的前提下，最大程度地减少对个人信息或敏感信息的暴露或泄露。这些技术包括以下内容：

隐私保护数据采集技术，指在收集个人信息或敏感信息时，使用一些方法来隐藏或模糊个人身份或特征，例如匿名化、伪名化、差分隐私等；

隐私保护数据处理技术，指在处理个人信息或敏感信息时，使用一些方法来保证数据处理过程的透明性或可验证性，例如同态加密、多方计算、区块链等；

隐私保护数据共享技术，指在共享个人信息或敏感信息时，使用一些方法来限制或控制数据接收方的使用范围或方式，例如访问控制、数字水印、数字版权管理等。

隐私增强技术是市场调研公司在保证数据分析质量的同时，保护个人信息或敏感信息不被泄露或滥用的有效手段。

（4）进行数据安全和隐私培训

市场调研公司应进行定期的数据安全和隐私培训，以提高员工对数据安全和隐私重要性的认识，并增强员工对数据安全和隐私政策、流程、工具、技术等方面的知识和技能。这些培训应包括以下内容：

数据安全和隐私基础知识培训，指介绍数据安全和隐私相关的概念、原理、法律法规等基础知识；

数据安全和隐私业务知识培训，指介绍市场调研公司在各个业务环节中涉及到的数据安全和隐私问题及其应对方法；

数据安全和隐私实践技能培训，指演示或模拟市场调研公司在数据安全和隐私管理中使用的工具、技术等实践技能；

数据安全和隐私案例分析培训，指分析市场调研公司或其他机构在数据安全和隐私方面发生的典型案例，总结经验教训和改进措施。

数据安全和隐私培训是市场调研公司提升员工数据安全和隐私意识和能力的重要途径，也是市场调研公司营造数据安全和隐私文化的有效方式。

三、尚普咨询的数据安全和隐私实践

尚普咨询是一家专业的市场调研公司，拥有丰富的行业经验和客户资源，为各行各业提供定制化的市场调研服务。尚普咨询非常重视数据安全和隐私保护，采取了以下一些实践措施：

（1）制定了《尚普咨询数据安全和隐私政策》，并在其官网上公开发布，向所有利益相关方明确了其对数据安全和隐私保护的承诺和规范； （2）建立了由总裁直接领导的数据安全委员会，负责制定、执行、监督和改进数据安全和隐私政策，并设立了专职的数据保护官，负责处理数据安全和隐私相关的日常事务； （3）采用了国际通用的ISO/IEC 27001信息安全管理体系标准，建立了完善的数据安全管理流程，并通过了第三方认证机构的审核，获得了ISO/IEC 27001证书； （4）采用了国际通用的ISO/IEC 29100隐私框架标准，建立了完善的隐私保护管理流程，并通过了第三方认证机构的审核，获得了ISO/IEC 29100证书； （5）采用了多种隐私增强技术，例如在收集个人信息时使用差分隐私技术，在处理商业秘密时使用同态加密技术，在共享重要数据时使用区块链技术等，以保证数据分析效果不受影响的同时，最大程度地减少对个人信息或敏感信息的暴露或泄露； （6）进行了定期的数据安全和隐私培训，包括基础知识培训、业务知识培训、实践技能培训、案例分析培训等，以提高员工对数据安全和隐私重要性的认识，并增强员工对数据安全和隐私政策、流程、工具、技术等方面的知识和技能。

尚普咨询在数据安全和隐私保护方面的实践经验，为其他市场调研公司提供了一个可借鉴的范例。当然，尚普咨询也不断地根据市场变化和客户需求，更新和优化其数据安全和隐私政策、流程、工具、技术等，以保持其在市场调研领域的领先地位。

4. epilogue

市场调研公司作为数据的收集、分析和提供者，面临着数据安全和隐私保护的重大挑战。本文从市场调研公司的数据生命周期、数据敏感性和数据价值三个维度，分析了市场调研公司在数据安全和隐私保护方面的需求和风险，以及应对的策略和措施。本文以尚普咨询为例，介绍了其在数据安全和隐私保护方面的实践经验，包括制定数据安全和隐私政策、建立数据安全和隐私管理体系、采用隐私增强技术、进行数据安全和隐私培训等。本文旨在为市场调研公司提供数据安全和隐私保护的参考指导。