US Consumers Want to Switch to Businesses That Prioritize Data Rights but Are Frustrated With Current Practices, New Report Shows

By Associated Press 14 August 2020, 12:00AM

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 13, 2020--

Transcend, the data privacy infrastructure company, announced today the first release of Data Privacy Feedback Loop—a new recurring nationwide study of consumer expectations about data privacy in relation to their experiences with different companies. The Data Privacy Feedback Loop is the first inaugural report that will offer an ongoing map of the changing attitudes in consumer expectations on data privacy and business action.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200813005251/en/

An infographic showing the findings of Transcend's Data Privacy Feedback Loop report (Graphic: Business Wire)

In the 2020 report, 1,018 Americans were polled June 18 – 23, 2020, in an online survey administered in partnership with the global research firm Kelton. The findings reveal a host of business opportunities for improvement on data privacy, including the potential for consumer loyalty, trust, and preference.

“Data privacy is a burning conversation for consumers, companies, and regulators all around the world,” said Ben Brook, CEO of Transcend. “Businesses are not yet realizing the benefits of user-centric investments in data privacy. By creating a yearly measuring stick for consumer expectations on business practices, companies can better benchmark their practices against users’ preferences and innovate on data privacy in a way that aligns with consumer feedback and offers a competitive advantage.”

Companies that offer consumers greater data privacy visibility and control have the potential to unlock increased consumer trust, preference, and loyalty. Specifically, if given a choice to do so, 93% of Americans would switch to a company that prioritizes data privacy. A similar number (91%) would prefer to buy from companies that always guarantee them access to their data. Surveyed during the height of a global pandemic and economic uncertainty, nearly two in five Americans (38%) expressed that they believe it’s worth spending more money with companies that prioritize data privacy.

However, most Americans today are frustrated by the lack of data control companies offer. Notably, 88% of Americans are frustrated by the fact that they don’t have control over their personal data and they wish the process was easier. An overwhelming 94% of all Americans wish for a better experience of getting their data back from a company (regardless of whether or not they’ve tried).

Consumers make clear that when a company takes a better approach to data privacy it paves the way for a potential brand halo effect. According to 60% of Americans, companies that can provide users with instant access to control personal data are seen to care about their customers. Additionally, 62% of Americans also rate companies that provide instant access to a user’s data as trustworthy, 58% say transparent, and 55% deem them to be helpful. In fact, 70% of Americans who have received their personal data from a company say that it made them like that company more.

On the other hand, companies that miss the mark on data privacy may risk negative perceptions. Consumers view companies that do not offer data privacy as being untrustworthy (59%) or unethical (44%). Almost one-in-five (16%) would go so far as to call the company lazy.

“Consumers are ready to align their loyalty and purchasing with companies that prioritize their data rights,” said Brook. “But the data suggests high levels of current consumer frustration. This may indicate that companies need to zoom out from compliance and approach data privacy in the vein of trust and business opportunity.”

Americans have a strong sense of ownership over their personal data, and 97% of those polled believe that it’s their right to access their personal data from a company. Notably, 88% feel they ultimately own any personal data they give to a company. Data privacy is also an ongoing concern that will only increase in consumers’ minds. Expect data privacy to grow in interest year over year, with over nine-in-ten Americans (94%) agreeing that data privacy will be even more critical five years into the future.

Other key findings from the 2020 Data Privacy Feedback Loop include:

  • Nearly all Americans (98%) agree that data privacy is important. This sentiment extends across all gender and generation lines (Male: 98%, Female: 98%; Gen Z & Millennial: 95%, Gen X: 99%, Baby Boomers + Seniors: 99%).
  • Americans want access to their personal data so that they can choose what information companies can and can’t collect (65%) or to delete it altogether (43%). Two in three people (65%) are simply curious to know what information companies have on file about them. Two in five (40%) would even update their information.
  • Nearly two in five Americans (38%) expressed that they believe it’s worth spending more money with companies that prioritize data privacy.

About Transcend

Transcend is the data privacy infrastructure that makes it simple for companies to give their users control over their personal data. Personal data is disorganized, hard to spot, and stored across many systems. That makes offering data rights—like deleting your data—very hard for companies. Transcend automatically fulfills data subject requests inside companies, across all of their data systems and vendors. Transcend also provides their end users with a control panel, or “Privacy Center,” hosted at privacy.<company>.com where users can manage their privacy preferences, export their data, or delete it. By making data subject requests painless for companies, Transcend is putting users everywhere in the driver’s seat of their personal data. Transcend is proud to serve leading customers, including Robinhood, Indiegogo, and Patreon.

About the Transcend Data Privacy Feedback Loop

This is the inaugural year of the Transcend Data Privacy Feedback Loop, a survey and report of consumer experience in company data privacy practices. The 2020 report is based on an online survey of 1,018 nationally representative Americans. The responses were conducted June 18 – 23, 2020, in partnership with the global research firm Kelton. For more information and to download the report, visit transcend.io/feedbackloop

View source version on businesswire.com:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200813005251/en/

CONTACT: Kate Parker

Transcend

[email protected]

KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA CALIFORNIA

INDUSTRY KEYWORD: DATA MANAGEMENT SECURITY TECHNOLOGY SOFTWARE NETWORKS INTERNET

SOURCE: Transcend

Copyright Business Wire 2020.

PUB: 08/13/2020 10:00 AM/DISC: 08/13/2020 10:01 AM

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200813005251/en

By Associated Press 14 August 2020, 12:00AM
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