Consumers know their privacy isn’t fully protected by the online services and products they use, and they want the companies that make use of their personal data to change their behavior. But, they don’t want to have to start paying to use the services and products they are accustomed to getting for free.
- A majority of people (59 percent) say they are not confident their privacy is protected by companies whose services or products they use online.
- 58 percent of people say “the threat to personal privacy online is a crisis, and we need forced changes to the way companies operate”, while far fewer, 38 percent, say “online services are essential to modern life, and we all have to accept some risk to personal data”
- In the data economy, companies are increasingly using their customers’ personal data in order to offer better and more individualized products and services. When asked about this:
- 43 percent of people say this an inappropriate use of their data
- 29 percent say it’s appropriate
- 26 percent say it’s neither inappropriate nor appropriate
- Still, nearly two-thirds (65 percent) say they’re unlikely to pay for a company to not track their personal data.
Click through all of the results for yourself below:
How confident are you that your privacy is protected by the companies whose services or products you use online?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Unweighted N 2,122 1,098 1,024 Very confident 8%7%8%Somewhat confident 32%29%35%Not so confident 39%40%38%Not at all confident 21%23%18%No answer 0%0%0%Question wording: How confident are you that your privacy is protected by the companies whose services or products you use online?Survey dates: –How likely is it that you would pay a fee in exchange for a company to NOT track your data while using their product?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Unweighted N 2,122 1,098 1,024 Very likely 10%10%10%Somewhat likely 24%24%24%Somewhat unlikely 25%24%27%Very unlikely 39%41%38%No answer 2%2%2%Question wording: How likely is it that you would pay a fee in exchange for a company to NOT track your data while using their product?Survey dates: –What is the most you would be willing to pay a company, per month, in exchange for it to NOT track your data while using their product?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Unweighted N 2,122 1,098 1,024 $0 54%55%53%$0.01 - $0.99 21%22%19%$ 1.00 to $4.99 15%14%15%$5.00 - $9.99 5%4%6%$10.00 or more 2%2%3%No answer 3%2%4%Question wording: What is the most you would be willing to pay a company, per month, in exchange for it to NOT track your data while using their product?Survey dates: –Which of the following comes closer to your view, even if neither is exactly right?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Unweighted N 2,122 1,098 1,024 Online services are essential to modern life, and we all have to accept some risk to personal data 38%42%35%The threat to personal privacy online is a crisis, and we need forced changes to the way companies operate 58%55%61%No answer 3%3%3%Question wording: Which of the following comes closer to your view, even if neither is exactly right?Survey dates: –In the data economy, companies are increasingly using their customers’ personal data in order to offer better and more individualized products and services. In general, do you see this as an appropriate or inappropriate use of such data?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Unweighted N 2,122 1,098 1,024 Completely appropriate 7%8%7%Mostly appropriate 22%24%20%Neither inappropriate nor inappropriate 26%26%25%Mostly inappropriate 26%23%29%Completely inappropriate 17%17%17%No answer 2%1%3%Question wording: In the data economy, companies are increasingly using their customers’ personal data in order to offer better and more individualized products and services. In general, do you see this as an appropriate or inappropriate use of such data?Survey dates: –What type of smartphone do you use? If you own more than one phone, please select the one you use most often.
Gender Answer Total Male Female Unweighted N 2,122 1,098 1,024 iOS phone (ex: iPhone) 49%48%49%Other (please specify) 1%1%1%Android (ex: Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy) 42%45%39%Don’t use a smartphone 7%5%9%No answer 2%1%2%Question wording: What type of smartphone do you use? If you own more than one phone, please select the one you use most often.Survey dates: –Which type of data from your smartphone would you most want to keep private?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Unweighted N 1,933 1,006 927 Photos 20%19%21%Other (please specify) 16%16%16%Email 14%13%15%Text messages 23%24%22%App data 8%8%7%Location data 19%18%19%No answer 1%1%1%Question wording: Which type of data from your smartphone would you most want to keep private?Survey dates: –
How confident are you that your privacy is protected by the companies whose services or products you use online?
How likely is it that you would pay a fee in exchange for a company to NOT track your data while using their product?
What is the most you would be willing to pay a company, per month, in exchange for it to NOT track your data while using their product?
Which of the following comes closer to your view, even if neither is exactly right?
(Online services are essential to modern life, and we all have to accept some risk to personal data / The threat to personal privacy online is a crisis, and we need forced changes to the way companies operate)
In the data economy, companies are increasingly using their customers’ personal data in order to offer better and more individualized products and services. In general, do you see this as an appropriate or inappropriate use of such data?
What type of smartphone do you use? If you own more than one phone, please select the one you use most often.
Which type of data from your smartphone would you most want to keep private?
(Photos / Email / Text messages / App data / Location data)
*consumers
