New research suggests that millennials in the US and UK have lost trust in the ability of enterprises and governments to protect their personal data online.
The survey comes from digital identity and credentials specialist Intercede and questioned around 2,000 16 to 35 year-olds. It indicates a widespread state of mistrust that has the potential to change the nature of online interactions with public agencies and corporations and points to a need for action to avoid a future backlash.
The number of respondents describing their level of trust as 'none' or 'a little' are at significantly high levels -- 61 percent for social media platforms, 38 percent for retailers, 22 percent for federal/national government, and 19 percent for financial institutions.
Few respondents described their level of trust as 'complete' -- just 17 percent in state/local government, 13 percent for employers, and as low as 4 percent for fixed and mobile telecom operators.
The research also suggests that Millennials want the organizations they interact with to apply rigorous security to all of the personal information they provide. When asked how important it is that a range of personal data is only shared with those individuals or companies they have specifically authorized, 80 percent replied that it was 'very important' or 'vital' for financial and medical information. However, 74 percent of respondents also gave these ratings for location data, 58 percent for social media content and 57 percent for purchasing preferences.
"Unfortunately we now live in an age where data breaches have become a common occurrence and the more digitally connected we become, the greater the risk," says Richard Parris, CEO of Intercede. "Government and business need to step up to more effectively safeguard the private information of their constituents and customers online or risk eroding trust and further damage to their reputations. Millennials are a prime and extensive demographic driving votes and dollars worldwide. Restoring digital trust by taking active measures to ensure privacy and secure personal data should be a top priority".
More details on the research are available on the Intercede website.
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