According to the US Census Bureau, 85.1 percent of American homes have some sort of computer in their household and 74 percent had some sort of Internet access. It is no surprise that there a number of reports showing that the number of “connected” devices in each household are increasing. For example, The National Telecommunications & Information Administration published research findings in December 2015 that showed the majority of Americans use multiple Internet-connected devices. Given the increase in the number of devices – we could assume that individuals within an American household are getting their own devices.

But wait a minute!

Let’s consider the complexities of managing devices, content and Internet safety with today’s family dynamics. In an attempt to reduce Cyber Bullying and Intimidation and increase digital citizenship – there are mental health professionals and educators advising to make household computers more “public”.  Ensuring the computers are in a high-traffic area of the home. As a result, some parents and guardians are proactively moving towards shared computers that live in common areas of a home – rather than individual devices in bedrooms. They are making family computer hubs or command centers.

 

Now consider that household in terms of how those computers in the command centers are used. User #1 – A Mom uses that computer to check on the status of the family investment portfolio. User #2 – The Father, who is working on a house remodel and is shopping for construction materials. User #3 – The Daughter who is looking for clothes.

Despite all of the advances in Advertising technology (#adtech), Marketing technology (#martech) and search algorithms – this is how the digital advertising would appear on their computer!

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the buzzword of 2017. Each day there is a news report or article about how AI is going to revolutionize our industries. Perhaps AI will make #Martech less confused when households share devices?

Then again – maybe this isn’t a problem?

The mom knows the kinds of clothes her daughter is shopping :-). She also gets an idea of what is going to hit the credit card or bank account next as it relates to their house remodel. All while she gets her investment update. Multi-tasking at its best!

What do you think?

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