Listening in on Consumer Conversations

Ok, so here's the deal...apparently consumers don't really know squat about social media because all we do is complain about it, yet we're so addicted to it we can't stop. In this technological era of social media and companies using social platforms to help their business, it has become more of a priority for companies to listen in on conversations either when they're being talked about or just to see what consumers are interested in. 32% of consumers using social media don't even know that companies do this, yet 51% of them are talking about these companies on a social media 
platform but don't want them to know. 



Excuse me...but this is the internet. We basically learn from day 1 that nothing on the internet is truly private and that if you don't want something to be seen, then don't post it. It's that simple. If you want to rant about a company, do it orally, or you might as well post it directly on that company's website, because someone is going to see it. 43% of people think it's an invasion of privacy for companies to listen in on conversations, but this is just the new thing in our world. We have to accept that the internet and social media is becoming a dramatically more popular way of doing business and it can help companies in a lot of ways. How else are consumers supposed to complain about companies or rave about companies or talk about them at all for all to see without the internet? It's a blessing and a curse, but people need to get over it and stop acting like they don't expect this kind of stuff to happen. You want companies to listen in some cases when it helps you and then not in other cases? Sorry, not gonna happen. If you don't want companies to listen to you and figure out your needs, then get off the internet.