Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Consumers concerned over privacy say GfK
When a federal judge ruled in August that the Bush administration must halt its warrantless-wiretapping program, she aroused the ire of those who said the taps were needed to root out terrorists. But our research reveals that she also tapped into a strain of anti-snooping sentiment among the public that persists nearly five years after the 9/11 attacks. Those who do business online should pay heed. As plumbing the Internet for personal information grows, so does the need for those who operate in cyberspace — not least, businesspeople — to consider consumers’
privacy concerns.
Americans have strong reservations about those who find and use Web-based personal information without their knowledge. A June 2006 telephone survey finds that, thinking of the Internet, 62% of Americans with home Web access are “very concerned” with the privacy of personal information. That is up 5 points from a year ago, with the biggest increase registering among Web-savvy young adults.
People’s concern is not with digital technology per se; for more than a decade, Americans have told us that computers help them save time and increase the control over, quality of, and simplicity with which they live their lives. Rather, people’s concern is with the intentional misuse of technology; seven in ten think such misuse will be a “serious problem” in 25 to50 years. And among the ways that Americans, on balance, feel that technology can be misused is in “targeting advertising to individuals’ lifestyles, preferences, and personalities”: 53% in our June survey think such behavioural targeting is “a bad thing,” while 37% think it is “a good thing.” The rest equivocate or do not answer the question.
This report is based on in-person and telephone surveys of American adults dating from 1974 through 2006. For more information, please contact your GfK Roper Reports representative or go to www.gfkamerica.com.
GfK surveys.com marketing marketing research
privacy concerns.
Americans have strong reservations about those who find and use Web-based personal information without their knowledge. A June 2006 telephone survey finds that, thinking of the Internet, 62% of Americans with home Web access are “very concerned” with the privacy of personal information. That is up 5 points from a year ago, with the biggest increase registering among Web-savvy young adults.
People’s concern is not with digital technology per se; for more than a decade, Americans have told us that computers help them save time and increase the control over, quality of, and simplicity with which they live their lives. Rather, people’s concern is with the intentional misuse of technology; seven in ten think such misuse will be a “serious problem” in 25 to50 years. And among the ways that Americans, on balance, feel that technology can be misused is in “targeting advertising to individuals’ lifestyles, preferences, and personalities”: 53% in our June survey think such behavioural targeting is “a bad thing,” while 37% think it is “a good thing.” The rest equivocate or do not answer the question.
This report is based on in-person and telephone surveys of American adults dating from 1974 through 2006. For more information, please contact your GfK Roper Reports representative or go to www.gfkamerica.com.
GfK surveys.com marketing marketing research
