Episode 196: Interview with Michael Munson

In today’s digital economy, data is often called the new oil—but according to Michael Munson, most companies are running their engines on contaminated fuel. In this revealing episode of The Savoir Faire Audio Experience, Robert White sits down with the Founder and CEO of Clean Data Alliance to unpack one of the most misunderstood and overlooked issues in modern marketing, technology, and consumer privacy: the difference between clean data and dirty data.

Michael’s path into the data world wasn’t linear. In fact, he’s the first to admit that he didn’t initially set out to build a career in data technology. “I didn’t start out thinking I was going to end up in a data tech entrepreneurial life,” he explains.

Instead, his journey began in sports management, where he was pursuing a master’s degree and developing an early interest in sponsorship marketing. That academic focus would unexpectedly become the gateway into a decades-long career at the intersection of information, software, and business intelligence.

During the dot-com boom in San Francisco, Michael noticed something many others missed. While companies were racing to sell products online, he became fascinated with the underlying flow of information powering the internet. “I thought information and data was really what the internet was enabling… like never before,” he says.

That insight led him to launch SponsorWise in the early 2000s, a platform designed to automate the intake and review of sponsorship proposals. The company grew to serve major corporate clients including Hershey’s, Toyota, Southwest Airlines, AT&T, and Verizon—an early validation of his instinct that structured data could unlock massive efficiency gains.

Over the next two decades, Michael continued building and advising data-driven platforms, navigating everything from co-founder breakups to pandemic-era market shifts. Each experience sharpened his understanding of a growing systemic problem: businesses were making high-stakes decisions based on low-quality data. That realization ultimately led to the creation of Clean Data Alliance in October 2025, an organization focused on education, advocacy, and standards around what Michael calls “verified human truth.”

At the core of his philosophy is a precise definition. Clean data, as his organization defines it, must be collected with permission, verified as human, anonymous where appropriate, and longitudinal in nature.

Anything outside that framework risks falling into the category of dirty data—a term that describes the vast ocean of scraped, inferred, brokered, and often inaccurate information circulating in today’s marketing ecosystem.

Michael is blunt about the consequences. Much of the third-party data that companies buy and rely on is deeply flawed. In the interview, he points to industry estimates showing that brokered data may be only about 27% accurate. When businesses use that level of information to guide marketing spend, customer targeting, and strategic decisions, the results are predictable. “You’re going to get bad results when you’re using garbage data,” he says plainly.

This perspective reframes one of the most commonly accepted metrics in digital marketing: the infamous 1% engagement rate. Michael has never been comfortable with that benchmark. “For many, many years of my life, I’ve not been able to accept 1% as effective or acceptable,” he tells Robert.

In his view, low engagement is not a creative failure—it’s a data quality failure. If companies were working with verified, permission-based human data, he believes engagement rates could increase dramatically.

But Clean Data Alliance is not just about improving marketing ROI. The organization operates on a dual-mission model. On one side, it seeks to educate organizations about the profitability and risk-reduction benefits of clean data practices. On the other, it aims to empower individuals—what Michael repeatedly refers to as “humans”—to reclaim ownership and control over their personal information.

“You have total control over your data… and you decide who can see it,” he explains when describing the long-term vision.

That concept, known as data agency, represents a significant shift from today’s dominant platform model, where major tech companies capture and monetize user data with limited portability or transparency.

Michael argues that the technology to give individuals true ownership already exists. The barrier, he suggests, is economic incentive. Large platforms have little motivation to decentralize control because user data remains one of their most valuable assets. “There’s no reason they couldn’t say, ‘You own your own data,’” he notes, referencing companies like Meta.

The fact that they haven’t, he implies, speaks volumes about the current power structure of the digital economy.

One of the more fascinating aspects of the conversation centers on the emerging legal and regulatory landscape. Michael points to California’s recent data deletion rights as an early sign that the traditional data brokerage model may face increasing pressure. As more states adopt similar protections, he believes the economic foundation of dirty data will continue to erode.

For individuals looking to take action today, he mentions services like DeleteMe and Incogni that help remove personal data from broker databases. But he is clear that these are interim solutions. The larger goal is systemic change—an ecosystem where clean data becomes the default rather than the exception.

The discussion also touches on the proposed Electronic Bill of Rights, an initiative connected to Clean Data Alliance’s policy work. Developed with input from advisors involved in past Senate investigations, the framework outlines protections designed to extend constitutional-style freedoms into the digital realm. While not yet adopted at the federal level, it signals the kind of structural reform Michael believes will eventually become necessary.

Perhaps most compelling is how practical the implications of this movement are for everyday consumers. Robert highlights the familiar experience of browsing a product online only to be followed by ads across the internet. Under a true data-ownership model, that kind of persistent behavioral targeting would be far less pervasive. Michael agrees, noting that when individuals control their data permissions, many of today’s most intrusive marketing practices simply cannot function the same way.

Throughout the interview, Michael maintains a measured but confident tone. He is not predicting the overnight collapse of the current data economy. Instead, he sees a gradual but inevitable shift driven by three forces: consumer awareness, regulatory pressure, and business demand for more accurate information. As he and his team continue expanding Clean Data Alliance’s training programs and advocacy efforts into 2026 and beyond, the conversation around data quality and ownership is likely to grow louder.

For marketers, founders, and technology leaders, the message is clear: the future of competitive advantage may not come from more data, but from better data. And for consumers, the idea that personal information could become an asset they actively control—not just something passively harvested—represents a profound shift in digital power.

Michael Munson isn’t just critiquing the current system. He’s building a case—and an infrastructure—for what comes next.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42VyrkyRXFQ

🎧 To hear the full conversation with Michael Munson, tune in to his episode on The Savoir Faire Audio Experience, streaming now.