Companies who fail to see privacy as a fundamental business priority risk crossing the ‘creepy line’
According to a new report by KPMG International, 55 percent of consumers globally said they had decided against buying something online due to privacy concerns. Furthermore, less than 10 percent of consumers feel that they have control over the way organisations handle and use their personal data today, with respondents in most countries saying that privacy control is more important than the potential convenience gained from sharing personal data.
“An executive would be at risk of being fired if half their customer base disappeared after they made a crucial business decision,” said Nathan Desfontaines, KPMG’s Cyber Security Manager in South Africa. “Failure to imbed privacy into the DNA of their business strategy could ultimately lead to the extinction of a business given how closely consumers and regulators alike are paying attention to how organisations collect, store and use personal data.”
When it comes to the global attitudes on the usages of personal data, consumers draw the line in dramatically different places.
What one consumer finds ‘creepy’ …
Another finds cool…
While concerns around the “creepy line” vary, the overall top three concerns about the way organisations are handling and using their personal information were: unwanted marketing; personal information being sold on to third-parties and lack of secure systems. The survey found that strong cyber security systems (32 percent) are the most effective thing an organisation can do for customers to trust them with their personal data.
Over half of survey respondents said they were willing to share their gender, education or ethnicity online, while a considerably lower proportion were happy to share more sensitive information, such as location (16 percent), address (14 percent) or medical records (13 percent).
Consumers are increasingly taking matters into their own hands, with half of survey respondents saying they already delete their internet browser cookies or manage their social media settings. Almost one-third even use incognito or ‘do not track’ modes, while a quarter percent use encryption.
For companies seeking to use personal data to personalise their marketing and services to the individual, build brand loyalty and develop better products, it is important that they understand that although opinions on privacy vary around the globe, it is clear that, more than anything, consumers value privacy over convenience.
“Understanding the value exchange between access to personal information and trust has never been more important than it is today,” said Desfontaines. “I truly believed that everyone would take a free TV no matter what. But clearly transparency is the strongest currency for any business.”
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For further information, please contact:
Nqubeko Sibiya
KPMG, Communications Specialist
Nqubeko.Sibiya@kpmg.co.za
Tel: +27 (0) 11 647 7111
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