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• Sequencing MIDI From A Chiptune

  28 avril 2013, par Multimedia Mike — Outlandish Brainstorms

  The feature requests for my game music appreciation website project continue to pour in. Many of them take the form of “please add player support for system XYZ and the chiptune library to go with it.” Most of these requests are A) plausible, and B) in process. I have also received recommendations for UI improvements which I take under consideration. Then there are the numerous requests to port everything from Native Client to JavaScript so that it will work everywhere, even on mobile, a notion which might take a separate post to debunk entirely.

  But here’s an interesting request about which I would like to speculate : Automatically convert a chiptune into a MIDI file. I immediately wanted to dismiss it as impossible or highly implausible. But, as is my habit, I started pondering the concept a little more carefully and decided that there’s an outside chance of getting some part of the idea to work.

  Intro to MIDI
  MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface. It’s a standard musical interchange format and allows music instruments and computers to exchange musical information. The file interchange format bears the extension .mid and contains a sequence of numbers that translate into commands separated by time deltas. E.g. : turn key on (this note, this velocity) ; wait x ticks ; turn key off ; wait y ticks ; etc. I’m vastly oversimplifying, as usual.

  MIDI fascinated me back in the days of dialup internet and discrete sound cards (see also my write-up on the Gravis Ultrasound). Typical song-length MIDI files often ranged from a few kilobytes to a few 10s of kilobytes. They were significantly smaller than the MOD et al. family of tracker music formats mostly by virtue of the fact that MIDI files aren’t burdened by transporting digital audio samples.
  
  I know I’m missing a lot of details. I haven’t dealt much with MIDI in the past… 15 years or so (ever since computer audio became a blur of MP3 and AAC audio). But I’m led to believe it’s still relevant. The individual who requested this feature expressed an interest in being able to import the sequenced data into any of the many music programs that can interpret .mid files.

  The Pitch
  To limit the scope, let’s focus on music that comes from the 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System or the original Game Boy. The former features 2 square wave channels, a triangle wave, a noise channel, and a limited digital channel. The latter creates music via 2 square waves, a wave channel, and a noise channel. The roles that these various channels usually play typically break down as : square waves represent the primary melody, triangle wave is used to simulate a bass line, noise channel approximates a variety of percussive sounds, and the DPCM/wave channels are fairly free-form. They can have random game sound effects or, if they are to assist in the music, are often used for more authentic percussive sounds.

  The various channels are controlled via an assortment of memory-mapped hardware registers. These registers are fed values such as frequency, volume, and duty cycle. My idea is to modify the music playback engine to track when various events occur. Whenever a channel is turned on or off, that corresponds to a MIDI key on or off event. If a channel is already playing but a new frequency is written, that would likely count as a note change, so log a key off event followed by a new key on event.

  There is the major obstacle of what specific note is represented by a channel in a particular state. The MIDI standard defines 128 different notes spanning 11 octaves. Empirically, I wonder if I could create a table which maps the assorted frequencies to different MIDI notes ?

  I think this strategy would only work with the square and triangle waves. Noise and digital channels ? I’m not prepared to tackle that challenge.

  Prior Work ?
  I have to wonder if there is any existing work in this area. I’m certain that people have wanted to do this before ; I wonder if anyone has succeeded ?

  Just like reverse engineering a binary program entails trying to obtain a higher level abstraction of a program from a very low level representation, this challenge feels like reverse engineering a piece of music as it is being performed and automatically expressing it in a higher level form.

• Why does the frame count change when scaling with FFmpeg ?

  22 octobre 2016, par ajmicek

  I use this to scale 1920x1080 H.264 videos :

  ffmpeg -i IMG_1438.MOV -threads 2 -vf scale=-2:600 IMG_1438_scaledTo600.MOV

  And it works great ! But here is my question : most of the time, the frame rate stays exactly the same between the original file and the scaled file. For example :

  $ mediainfo -F IMG_1426.MOV | grep Frame\ rate
  
  Frame rate                               : 29.970
  
  Frame rate                               : 29.970 FPS
  
  Frame rate mode                          : VFR
  
  Frame rate mode                          : Variable
  
  Frame rate                               : 29.970
  
  Frame rate                               : 29.970 (29970/1000) FPS
  
  
  
  $ mediainfo -F IMG_1426_scaledTo600.MOV | grep Frame\ rate
  
  Frame rate                               : 29.970
  
  Frame rate                               : 29.970 FPS
  
  Frame rate mode                          : CFR
  
  Frame rate mode                          : Constant
  
  Frame rate                               : 29.970
  
  Frame rate                               : 29.970 (30000/1001) FPS

  But sometimes, the frame rate increases dramatically :

  $ mediainfo -F IMG_1438.MOV | grep Frame\ rate
  
  Frame rate                               : 25.044
  
  Frame rate                               : 25.044 FPS
  
  Frame rate mode                          : VFR
  
  Frame rate mode                          : Variable
  
  Frame rate                               : 25.044
  
  Frame rate                               : 25.044 FPS
  
  
  
  $ mediainfo -F IMG_1438_scaledTo600.MOV | grep Frame\ rate
  
  Frame rate                               : 120.000
  
  Frame rate                               : 120.000 FPS
  
  Frame rate mode                          : CFR
  
  Frame rate mode                          : Constant
  
  Frame rate                               : 120.000
  
  Frame rate                               : 120.000 FPS

  What should I know about FFmpeg or libx264 or libswscale that will help me understand why this happens ? (Hoping to hear from LordNeckbeard, in particular).

  mediainfo IMG_1438.MOV --Full outputs :

  General
  
  Count                                    : 327
  
  Count of stream of this kind             : 1
  
  Kind of stream                           : General
  
  Kind of stream                           : General
  
  Stream identifier                        : 0
  
  Count of video streams                   : 1
  
  Count of audio streams                   : 1
  
  OtherCount                               : 2
  
  Video_Format_List                        : AVC
  
  Video_Format_WithHint_List               : AVC
  
  Codecs Video                             : AVC
  
  Audio_Format_List                        : AAC
  
  Audio_Format_WithHint_List               : AAC
  
  Audio codecs                             : AAC LC
  
  Complete name                            : IMG_1438.MOV
  
  File name                                : IMG_1438
  
  File extension                           : MOV
  
  Format                                   : MPEG-4
  
  Format                                   : MPEG-4
  
  Format/Extensions usually used           : mp4 m4v m4a m4b m4p 3gpp 3gp 3gpp2 3g2 k3g jpm jpx mqv ismv isma f4v
  
  Commercial name                          : MPEG-4
  
  Format profile                           : QuickTime
  
  Internet media type                      : video/mp4
  
  Codec ID                                 : qt  
  
  Codec ID                                 : qt   0000.00 (qt  )
  
  Codec ID/Url                             : http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/standalone.html
  
  CodecID_Version                          : 0000.00
  
  CodecID_Compatible                       : qt  
  
  Codec                                    : MPEG-4
  
  Codec                                    : MPEG-4
  
  Codec/Extensions usually used            : mp4 m4v m4a m4b m4p 3gpp 3gp 3gpp2 3g2 k3g jpm jpx mqv ismv isma f4v
  
  File size                                : 113990140
  
  File size                                : 109 MiB
  
  File size                                : 109 MiB
  
  File size                                : 109 MiB
  
  File size                                : 109 MiB
  
  File size                                : 108.7 MiB
  
  Duration                                 : 52268
  
  Duration                                 : 52 s 268 ms
  
  Duration                                 : 52 s 268 ms
  
  Duration                                 : 52 s 268 ms
  
  Duration                                 : 00:00:52.268
  
  Duration                                 : 00:00:52:09
  
  Duration                                 : 00:00:52.268 (00:00:52:09)
  
  Overall bit rate                         : 17447026
  
  Overall bit rate                         : 17.4 Mb/s
  
  Frame rate                               : 25.044
  
  Frame rate                               : 25.044 FPS
  
  Frame count                              : 1309
  
  Stream size                              : 56670
  
  Stream size                              : 55.3 KiB (0%)
  
  Stream size                              : 55 KiB
  
  Stream size                              : 55 KiB
  
  Stream size                              : 55.3 KiB
  
  Stream size                              : 55.34 KiB
  
  Stream size                              : 55.3 KiB (0%)
  
  Proportion of this stream                : 0.00050
  
  HeaderSize                               : 28
  
  DataSize                                 : 113966271
  
  FooterSize                               : 23841
  
  IsStreamable                             : No
  
  Encoded date                             : UTC 2016-10-08 22:51:19
  
  Tagged date                              : UTC 2016-10-08 22:52:12
  
  File last modification date              : UTC 2016-10-08 22:51:19
  
  File last modification date (local)      : 2016-10-08 17:51:19
  
  Writing library                          : Apple QuickTime
  
  Writing library                          : Apple QuickTime
  
  Encoded_Library_Name                     : Apple QuickTime
  
  com.apple.quicktime.make                 : Apple
  
  com.apple.quicktime.model                : iPhone 5
  
  com.apple.quicktime.software             : 10.0.2
  
  com.apple.quicktime.creationdate         : 2016-10-08T17:51:19-0500
  
  
  
  Video
  
  Count                                    : 334
  
  Count of stream of this kind             : 1
  
  Kind of stream                           : Video
  
  Kind of stream                           : Video
  
  Stream identifier                        : 0
  
  StreamOrder                              : 0
  
  ID                                       : 1
  
  ID                                       : 1
  
  Format                                   : AVC
  
  Format/Info                              : Advanced Video Codec
  
  Format/Url                               : http://developers.videolan.org/x264.html
  
  Commercial name                          : AVC
  
  Format profile                           : High@L4.1
  
  Format settings                          : CABAC / 1 Ref Frames
  
  Format settings, CABAC                   : Yes
  
  Format settings, CABAC                   : Yes
  
  Format settings, ReFrames                : 1
  
  Format settings, ReFrames                : 1 frame
  
  Internet media type                      : video/H264
  
  Codec ID                                 : avc1
  
  Codec ID/Info                            : Advanced Video Coding
  
  Codec ID/Url                             : http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/standalone.html
  
  Codec                                    : AVC
  
  Codec                                    : AVC
  
  Codec/Family                             : AVC
  
  Codec/Info                               : Advanced Video Codec
  
  Codec/Url                                : http://developers.videolan.org/x264.html
  
  Codec/CC                                 : avc1
  
  Codec profile                            : High@L4.1
  
  Codec settings                           : CABAC / 1 Ref Frames
  
  Codec settings, CABAC                    : Yes
  
  Codec_Settings_RefFrames                 : 1
  
  Duration                                 : 52268
  
  Duration                                 : 52 s 268 ms
  
  Duration                                 : 52 s 268 ms
  
  Duration                                 : 52 s 268 ms
  
  Duration                                 : 00:00:52.268
  
  Duration                                 : 00:00:52:09
  
  Duration                                 : 00:00:52.268 (00:00:52:09)
  
  Bit rate                                 : 17375530
  
  Bit rate                                 : 17.4 Mb/s
  
  Width                                    : 1920
  
  Width                                    : 1 920 pixels
  
  Height                                   : 1080
  
  Height                                   : 1 080 pixels
  
  Stored_Height                            : 1088
  
  Sampled_Width                            : 1920
  
  Sampled_Height                           : 1080
  
  Pixel aspect ratio                       : 1.000
  
  Display aspect ratio                     : 1.778
  
  Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
  
  Rotation                                 : 90.000
  
  Rotation                                 : 90°
  
  Frame rate mode                          : VFR
  
  Frame rate mode                          : Variable
  
  Frame rate                               : 25.044
  
  Frame rate                               : 25.044 FPS
  
  Minimum frame rate                       : 23.077
  
  Minimum frame rate                       : 23.077 FPS
  
  Maximum frame rate                       : 30.000
  
  Maximum frame rate                       : 30.000 FPS
  
  Frame count                              : 1309
  
  Resolution                               : 8
  
  Resolution                               : 8 bits
  
  Colorimetry                              : 4:2:0
  
  Color space                              : YUV
  
  Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
  
  Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
  
  Bit depth                                : 8
  
  Bit depth                                : 8 bits
  
  Scan type                                : Progressive
  
  Scan type                                : Progressive
  
  Interlacement                            : PPF
  
  Interlacement                            : Progressive
  
  Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.335
  
  Stream size                              : 113523046
  
  Stream size                              : 108 MiB (100%)
  
  Stream size                              : 108 MiB
  
  Stream size                              : 108 MiB
  
  Stream size                              : 108 MiB
  
  Stream size                              : 108.3 MiB
  
  Stream size                              : 108 MiB (100%)
  
  Proportion of this stream                : 0.99590
  
  Title                                    : Core Media Video
  
  Encoded date                             : UTC 2016-10-08 22:51:19
  
  Tagged date                              : UTC 2016-10-08 22:52:12
  
  Color range                              : Limited
  
  colour_description_present               : Yes
  
  Color primaries                          : BT.709
  
  Transfer characteristics                 : BT.709
  
  Matrix coefficients                      : BT.709
  
  
  
  Audio
  
  Count                                    : 272
  
  Count of stream of this kind             : 1
  
  Kind of stream                           : Audio
  
  Kind of stream                           : Audio
  
  Stream identifier                        : 0
  
  StreamOrder                              : 1
  
  ID                                       : 2
  
  ID                                       : 2
  
  Format                                   : AAC
  
  Format/Info                              : Advanced Audio Codec
  
  Commercial name                          : AAC
  
  Format profile                           : LC
  
  Codec ID                                 : 40
  
  Codec                                    : AAC LC
  
  Codec                                    : AAC LC
  
  Codec/Family                             : AAC
  
  Codec/CC                                 : 40
  
  Duration                                 : 52268
  
  Duration                                 : 52 s 268 ms
  
  Duration                                 : 52 s 268 ms
  
  Duration                                 : 52 s 268 ms
  
  Duration                                 : 00:00:52.268
  
  Duration                                 : 00:00:52:15
  
  Duration                                 : 00:00:52.268 (00:00:52:15)
  
  Source duration                          : 52338
  
  Source duration                          : 52 s 338 ms
  
  Source duration                          : 52 s 338 ms
  
  Source duration                          : 52 s 338 ms
  
  Source duration                          : 00:00:52.338
  
  Bit rate mode                            : CBR
  
  Bit rate mode                            : Constant
  
  Bit rate                                 : 64000
  
  Bit rate                                 : 64.0 kb/s
  
  Channel(s)                               : 1
  
  Channel(s)                               : 1 channel
  
  Channel positions                        : Front: C
  
  Channel positions                        : 1/0/0
  
  ChannelLayout                            : C
  
  Samples per frame                        : 1024
  
  Sampling rate                            : 44100
  
  Sampling rate                            : 44.1 kHz
  
  Samples count                            : 2305019
  
  Frame rate                               : 43.066
  
  Frame rate                               : 43.066 FPS (1024 spf)
  
  Frame count                              : 2251
  
  Source frame count                       : 2254
  
  Compression mode                         : Lossy
  
  Compression mode                         : Lossy
  
  Stream size                              : 410424
  
  Stream size                              : 401 KiB (0%)
  
  Stream size                              : 401 KiB
  
  Stream size                              : 401 KiB
  
  Stream size                              : 401 KiB
  
  Stream size                              : 400.8 KiB
  
  Stream size                              : 401 KiB (0%)
  
  Proportion of this stream                : 0.00360
  
  Source stream size                       : 410894
  
  Source stream size                       : 401 KiB (0%)
  
  Source stream size                       : 401 KiB
  
  Source stream size                       : 401 KiB
  
  Source stream size                       : 401 KiB
  
  Source stream size                       : 401.3 KiB
  
  Source stream size                       : 401 KiB (0%)
  
  Source_StreamSize_Proportion             : 0.00360
  
  Title                                    : Core Media Audio
  
  Encoded date                             : UTC 2016-10-08 22:51:19
  
  Tagged date                              : UTC 2016-10-08 22:52:12
  
  
  
  Other #1
  
  Count                                    : 112
  
  Count of stream of this kind             : 2
  
  Kind of stream                           : Other
  
  Kind of stream                           : Other
  
  Stream identifier                        : 0
  
  Stream identifier                        : 1
  
  Type                                     : meta
  
  Duration                                 : 52268
  
  Duration                                 : 52 s 268 ms
  
  Duration                                 : 52 s 268 ms
  
  Duration                                 : 52 s 268 ms
  
  Duration                                 : 00:00:52.268
  
  Duration                                 : 00:00:52.268
  
  Frame count                              : 6
  
  Bit rate mode                            : VBR
  
  
  
  Other #2
  
  Count                                    : 112
  
  Count of stream of this kind             : 2
  
  Kind of stream                           : Other
  
  Kind of stream                           : Other
  
  Stream identifier                        : 1
  
  Stream identifier                        : 2
  
  Type                                     : meta
  
  Duration                                 : 52268
  
  Duration                                 : 52 s 268 ms
  
  Duration                                 : 52 s 268 ms
  
  Duration                                 : 52 s 268 ms
  
  Duration                                 : 00:00:52.268
  
  Duration                                 : 00:00:52.268
  
  Frame count                              : 1
  
  Bit rate mode                            : CBR

  and ffprobe IMG_1438.MOV outputs :

  ffprobe version 3.1.3 Copyright (c) 2007-2016 the FFmpeg developers
  
    built with Apple LLVM version 7.3.0 (clang-703.0.31)
  
    configuration: --prefix=/usr/local/Cellar/ffmpeg/3.1.3 --enable-shared --enable-pthreads --enable-gpl --enable-version3 --enable-hardcoded-tables --enable-avresample --cc=clang --host-cflags= --host-ldflags= --enable-opencl --enable-libx264 --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libxvid --disable-lzma --enable-vda
  
    libavutil      55. 28.100 / 55. 28.100
  
    libavcodec     57. 48.101 / 57. 48.101
  
    libavformat    57. 41.100 / 57. 41.100
  
    libavdevice    57.  0.101 / 57.  0.101
  
    libavfilter     6. 47.100 /  6. 47.100
  
    libavresample   3.  0.  0 /  3.  0.  0
  
    libswscale      4.  1.100 /  4.  1.100
  
    libswresample   2.  1.100 /  2.  1.100
  
    libpostproc    54.  0.100 / 54.  0.100
  
  Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from 'IMG_1438.MOV':
  
    Metadata:
  
      major_brand     : qt  
  
      minor_version   : 0
  
      compatible_brands: qt  
  
      creation_time   : 2016-10-08 22:51:19
  
      com.apple.quicktime.make: Apple
  
      com.apple.quicktime.model: iPhone 5
  
      com.apple.quicktime.software: 10.0.2
  
      com.apple.quicktime.creationdate: 2016-10-08T17:51:19-0500
  
    Duration: 00:00:52.27, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 17446 kb/s
  
      Stream #0:0(und): Video: h264 (High) (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuv420p(tv, bt709), 1920x1080, 17375 kb/s, 25.04 fps, 120 tbr, 600 tbn, 1200 tbc (default)
  
      Metadata:
  
        rotate          : 90
  
        creation_time   : 2016-10-08 22:51:19
  
        handler_name    : Core Media Data Handler
  
        encoder         : H.264
  
      Side data:
  
        displaymatrix: rotation of -90.00 degrees
  
      Stream #0:1(und): Audio: aac (LC) (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 44100 Hz, mono, fltp, 62 kb/s (default)
  
      Metadata:
  
        creation_time   : 2016-10-08 22:51:19
  
        handler_name    : Core Media Data Handler
  
      Stream #0:2(und): Data: none (mebx / 0x7862656D), 0 kb/s (default)
  
      Metadata:
  
        creation_time   : 2016-10-08 22:51:19
  
        handler_name    : Core Media Data Handler
  
      Stream #0:3(und): Data: none (mebx / 0x7862656D), 0 kb/s (default)
  
      Metadata:
  
        creation_time   : 2016-10-08 22:51:19
  
        handler_name    : Core Media Data Handler
  
  Unsupported codec with id 0 for input stream 2
  
  Unsupported codec with id 0 for input stream 3

  UPDATE
  To clarify : my video above, the one with the high framerate (120 FPS) output after scaling, plays perfectly before and after scaling with FFmpeg (no sync issues, and 120 FPS is only about 14% larger in file size), I am simply trying to understand why this increase in framerate happens (just a little beyond Mulvya’s note that the framerate stored in the container is wrong).

  From a programming perspective, the initial issue I ran into was that I was using frame= from FFmpeg’s sterr console output to determine progress, which reports erroneous results when the frame count increases dramatically on output ("I’m 372% done encoding ?!") ; I have since read another stackoverflow answer and changed my code to use time=, which appears to be a more robust way for me to display FFmpeg progress. (Also, there is FFmpeg’s -progress option, of course).

  Improving on the original command

  My new command to scale, preserve a useful framerate, and optimize threads :

  ffmpeg -i IMG_1438.MOV -vf scale=-2:600 -r 30 -vsync 0 IMG_1438_scaledTo600.MOV

  Where 30 is the "Maximum frame rate" from mediainfo.

  Thanks to help in the comments, I now know I do not fully understand FFmpeg’s use of three different time bases for timestamps : tbn, tbc, and tbr.
  They were explained by Robert Swain in 2009 and his explanation was also used to answer a Stackoverflow question about tbn, tbc, tbr.

  It sounds to me, as I’m pulling together comments from Mulvya below and Michael Rampe at another forum, that tbr is guessed ; it is frequently but not always the best value to use when changing from a variable to a constant frame rate video.

  Which leaves these 2 questions...

  (1) tbr is incorrect when "field rate and frame rate" differ ? Does this happen a lot ?
  (2) Is -r 30 where 30 is the maximum frame rate reported by mediainfo the best way to do it for most codec/container combinations ? (Or should I only use this method when I am scaling a H.264/MPEG-4 AVC video ?)

• 4 Ways to Embed User Privacy & Data Security in Your Business

  15 juillet 2022, par Erin — Privacy

  Customer analytics undeniably plays a vital role for businesses. Product improvements, interface personalisation, content improvements, and creative advertising thrive on data. 

  Yet, there’s a fine line between being a customer-centred company and a privacy-violating one. 

  Due to ubiquitous online tracking, 62% of Americans now believe that it’s impossible to go about their daily lives without companies collecting data about them. Still, despite the importance of privacy in business for consumers, companies are reluctant to act. Privacy initiatives often stay on the back burner due to perceived complexity. That’s true to some extent.

  Privacy in business does assume complex technical changes to your data management. But to be a privacy-centred organisation, you also need to re-think your processes, practices, and culture. 

  Here are four ways to start your journey to better user privacy and data security. 

  1. Revise Your Data Collection Process to Gain Consumer Trust 

  The public is wary of sharing data with businesses because they are suspicious of its subsequent usage. 

  However, not all data collection is bad or wrong. In many cases, you need specific data for service delivery, compliance, or good-natured personalisation. 

  That’s exactly what consumers expect. Almost half of US consumers say they’d trust a company that limits the amount of personal information requested and only asks for data relevant to its products/services. 

  By limiting data collection and offering transparent data usage terms, you can : 

  • Reassure reluctant users to try your product or service — hence, boost conversions and sales. 
  • Retain existing audiences by gaining their trust, which leads to loyalty and higher customer lifetime value (CLV). 

  To gain consumers’ trust, implement proper consent and opt-out mechanisms. Then create educational materials about how you are collecting and using their data.

  2. Perform Data Mapping to Determine Where Sensitive Data Rests 

  Businesses are already pressed with an expanded cyber-security radar, courtesy of remote work, digital payment processing, IoT device adoption, etc. Yet, 41% of the executives don’t think their security initiatives have kept up with the digital transformations.

  Loopholes in security eventually result in a data breach. The average cost of a data breach looms at $4.24 million globally. The sum includes regulatory fines and containment costs, plus indirect losses in the form of reduced brand equity and market share. 

  Lax data protection in business also undermines consumer trust : 87% of consumers wouldn’t transact with a company if they had qualms with its security practices. 

  To improve your security posture, analyse where you are storing sensitive consumer data, who has access to it (internally and externally), and how you are protecting it. Then work with cybersecurity specialists on implementing stronger consumer security mechanisms (e.g. auto-log offs, secure password policy, etc) and extra internal security policies (if needed). 

  At the same time, start practising data minimisation. Ensure that all collected data is : 

  • Adequate – sufficient to meet your stated objectives 
  • Relevant – is rationally linked to the objectives 
  • Limited – no unnecessary data is collected or stored
  • Timely – data is periodically reviewed and removed when unnecessary 

  

  These principles prevent data hoarding. Also, they help improve your security posture and regulatory compliance by reducing the volume of information you need to safeguard.

  3. Do an Inventory of Your Business Tools

  Data leaks and consumer privacy breaches often occur through third parties. Because Google Analytics was deemed in breach of European GDPR in France, Austria and Italy, businesses using it are vulnerable to lawsuits (which are already happening). 

  Investigate your corporate toolkit to determine “weak links” – tools with controversial privacy policies, murky data collection practices, and poor security. 

  Treat it as a journey and pick your battles. By relying on Big Tech products for years, you might have overlooked better alternatives. 

  For example :

  • Matomo is a privacy-centred Google Analytics alternative. Our web analytics is compliant with GDPR, CCPA, and other global privacy laws. Unlike Google Analytics, we don’t exploit any data you collect and provide full transparency into how and where it’s stored. Or if you want a simple analytics solution, Fathom is another great privacy-friendly option.

  

  • For online data storage, you can choose Proton Drive or Nextcloud (open-source). Or host your corporate data with a local cloud hosting provider to avoid cross-border data transfers.

  

  Aim to progressively replace Google products with more privacy-centred alternatives. 

  4. Cultivate a Privacy-Centred Corporate Culture 

  To make privacy a competitive advantage, you need every team member (at every level) to respect its importance. 

  This is a continuous process of inspiring and educating your people. Find “privacy ambassadors” who are willing to lead the conversations, educate others, and provide resources for leading the change. 

  On an operational level, incorporate privacy principles around data minimisation, bounded collection, and usage into your Code of Conduct, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and other policies. 

  Creating a privacy-centric culture takes effort, but it pays off well. Cisco estimates that for each dollar spent on privacy, an average organisation gets $2.70 in associated benefits. Almost half (47%) of organisations gain 2X returns on their privacy initiatives.

  Moving Forward with a Data Privacy Programme 

  Privacy has become a strong differentiator for brands. Consumers crave transparency and ethical data usage. Regulators mandate limited data collection and proper security mechanisms.

  But sweeping changes are hard to implement. So start small and go one step at a time. Understand which first-party data your company collects and how it is stored.

  Then look into the tools and technologies you are using for data collection. Do these provide sufficient privacy controls ? How are they using data collected on your behalf ? Finally, move to wider transformations, pertaining to data management, cybersecurity, and cultural practices. 

  Be consistent with your effort — and eventually, all the pieces will fall into place.