Key Takeaways 1

Introduction 3

The Evolution of Personalization in Digital Technology 4

Stateless Computing and Early Persistence (Pre-1990s) 4

The Customization Era (1990s–2000s) 7

The Algorithmic Era (2000s–2010s) 8

The Predictive Era (2010s–Present) 10

Personalization as Consumer Empowerment 11

The Recurring “Personalization Panic” Cycle 13

Global Approaches To Governing Personalization 14

The Next Phase: AI Agents 16

Governing Harm Without Stopping Progress 18

Endnotes 21