Sydney, Australia – Despite 87% of Australian respondents saying that they support advertising measures among online content providers who offer free content, around 70% of Australian respondents are still unaware on how these online content providers generate their revenue despite being a ‘free service’ to customers, according to insights provided by market research company Ipsos during the latest IAB Australia MeasureUp conference.
The report leans heavily on facts relating to importance of transparency and control over data, stating that 81% of consumers stating they want ‘more control and choice’ over the collection and use of their personal information, and 46% stating they wanted companies to stop sharing their information with third parties without consent as a high priority.
Transparency on what data is collected and how it is used is the key driver to a high level of trust in providing personal information (43% ), however sound corporate values such as having a good corporate reputation (40%) and being ethical (39%) are nearly equally key trust drivers.
It also noted that customers who are loyal to certain brands are most likely to share their information out of brand trust. About 47% of respondents say that they are more comfortable about sharing their data, provided that brands need to be more upfront with how the data collected will be used.
In addition, 46% of respondents say that they are willing to share information to these online providers, provided they are the only data needed.
For specific instances, 38% feel comfortable sharing their purchase history with a brand online if requested, 34% feel comfortable sharing browsing history and 38% feel comfortable sharing personal details to online content providers such as email, phone, or address.
For Gai Le Roy, CEO of IAB Australia, while it is great news that consumers are so supportive of an ad-funded model to these online content providers, the insights suggests the industry has some work to do.
“Trust with a digital brand, including openness to provide data, goes well beyond reading consent notices and extends across all their interactions with the brand online and offline. To ensure the strength and sustainability of the industry, we need to build on existing levels of trust, and respect consumer’s preferences for more transparency and more control in relation to how their data is used,” Le Roy stated.
While nearly all Australians think privacy of their information is important when choosing digital content and services, only 3 in 10 people feel their understanding of data protection and privacy rights is of a high standard. Ultimately 8 in 10 people want more control and choice over the collection of their personal information, while 69% care about their data privacy but don’t know what to do about it.
