How an effort to expose consumer data crashed and burned.
The Digital Restaurant Association claimed all they wanted to do was “recognize who you are from your order and make sure they get everything right.” In reality, the Association was on a mission to have food delivery services and restaurants share private consumer data – exponentially increasing the possibility of data breaches and consumers being exposed to cyberthreats.
At its core, the effort to get the Miami-Dade County Commission to enact an ordinance that would have effectively required consumers’ data to be shared among multiple restaurants and food delivery services was intended to give so-called “ghost kitchens” and “dark kitchens,” represented by the Digital Restaurant Association, a competitive edge against established food delivery services.
But in a blow to the usual narrative of consumers’ getting the short stick, protecting consumer privacy prevailed this time. Facing withering criticism for its ploy to mandate data sharing through a local government ordinance, the Digital Restaurant Association ultimately withdrew its proposal.
This victory does not mean the battle is over. The Digital Restaurant Association is not going to abandon its efforts to make government require the widespread distribution of consumers’ personal data. Withdrawing its effort in Miami was a strategic retreat, not a surrender. Consumers will have to remain vigilant as other local and state governments consider measures like the one proposed in the Sunshine State.
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