DATA PRIVACY: WHAT THE CONSUMER REALLY THINKS FEBRUARY 2018
COPYRIGHT: THE DMA (UK) LTD 20181
Contents
Introduction ..2
Foreword .......3
Executive Summary ..4
Part 1: The Changing Consumer Landscape ...........6
Part 2: Promoting a healthy data economy in the UK ........11
Part 3: Rights and Responsibilities ..19
Methodology 24
About Acxiom ...........25
About the DMA .........26
About Foresight Factory .......27
Copyright and disclaimer .....28
DATA PRIVACY: WHAT THE CONSUMER REALLY THINKS FEBRUARY 2018
COPYRIGHT: THE DMA (UK) LTD 20182
This latest edition of our look into how consumers feel about privacy and their data was conducted against the
backdrop of rapid innovation in technology as we enter the fourth industrial revolution and major modernisation of
the legislative framework. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) seeks to balance the customer’s right to
privacy with the legitimate interests of companies wanting to serve them better.
Therefore, it’s interesting to see that before the new rules have even come into force we’ve seen overall privacy
concerns decline since we last conducted this research in 2012. In fact, three-quarters of people are either
unconcerned or pragmatic about the data they share with organisations, with the latter group wanting to be shown
clear reward or value in exchange for their personal information. This also highlights the rising consumer awareness
and understanding of the role that data exchange plays in modern societies, with half of consumers now saying this is
essential for the smooth running of society.
Essentially, consumers increasingly understand the part data has to play, but want organisations to be accountable
and transparent about what they’re doing. 88% of consumers cite transparency as the key to trust. This strikes at one
of the core principles of GDPR, accountability. This principle requires companies to consider the impact on privacy and
the risks posed to their customers before doing anything with their dataand strives to achieve a balance between
privacy and innovation.
This report shows us that consumers are aligned in their call for us, as an industry, to be accountable for our decisions
and transparent with customers. There is no need for marketers to fear GDPR, far from it. Use these new rules as a
catalyst to become more customer-centric as an organisation, rather than thinking of it as merely a legal requirement.
We’d like to thank Acxiom for partnering with us on bringing this valuable insight to our community.
‘Put the customer frst’ is the guiding principle of the DMA Code and for the many organisations who are DMA
members. If your product or service creates real benefts for people by using their data then you should be happy to
say so, openly and proudly. Consumers will reward you with their trust and their custom.
Chris Combemale,
CEO, DMA Group
Introduction
DATA PRIVACY: WHAT THE CONSUMER REALLY THINKS FEBRUARY 2018
COPYRIGHT: THE DMA (UK) LTD 20183
This report is about you and it’s about me. Marketing may be about strategy, tactics, audiences, creative, campaigns,
technology, even more data and the associated legislation, but marketing has and always will be about the customer,
the likes of you and me. After all, without the customer, marketing is irrelevant, without the customer saying ‘yes’, no
one gets paid.
At this time of fragmented technology, exponential data growth and in the form of GDPR, the biggest sea-change in
data legislation in more than a generation, where better or more important to orientate ourselves than the customer
and this report helps not only marketers but everyone in business, understand them and their own views around data
and data privacy.
This report provides readers with both absolute results and, because it is the third time it has been run since 2012, it
gives the added value of trends. Now we can see with greater confdence, where things are headed and in turn, plan
with more confdence.
You will see a mix of interesting developments and areas that require our continued focus. It is indeed interesting to
see the percentage of consumers willing to pay for previously free digital services such as email and social; the degree
to which would of course depend on cumulative cost. It is interesting to see the extent to which consumers want
to commercialise their own data; how many would go on to do so in already busy lives and for what reward, remain
interesting questions. It also remains clear we need to continue in our eforts to demonstrate tangible value to our
customers; greater transparency and education will help.
There is little surprise around how many people today are ‘concerned’ about data privacy and we view that as a
positive because it shows consumers care. The vast majority of us are also concerned about the welfare of our children,
but it does not mean we would all take the same approach in how we would bring them up; some having a strict and
protective approach, the other extreme being more laissez-faire and free. This plays out in the fact that while it is good
to see consumers taking data privacy seriously, not everyone feels the same way about it and though Acxiom would
prefer to see more consumers being more pragmatic, sharing data in return for value, the trend is clear that in the UK,
we’ll see more real-life acceptance of data as part of the workings of our world and less fear.
Finally, the trends also show us that generational aspects are playing a stronger hand in overall attitudes with the
numbers of people willing to use, share and leverage data to the advantage of all set to increase consistently as
generations progress.
Acxiom is proud to partner with the DMA for the second time, on this the third iteration of the Foresight Factory’s
independent research and for the frst time as part of a wider international programme. For almost ffty years, we’ve
believed in ethical data use that delivers value to businesses, the economy but most of all, to the likes of you and me,
everyday consumers.
Please read on, I am convinced you will fnd the report both hugely helpful and interesting especially as we enter the
GDPR era.
Jed Mole,
European Marketing Director, Acxiom
Foreword。