Only half of Brits feel in control of how many businesses have access to their personal data

As recent fears over healthcare data amplify, new research from Kaspersky reveals that only 56% of Brits feel that they are actually in control of how many organisations have access to their personal data – whilst 95% state privacy as being important to them.

Kaspersky’s new data privacy heatmap explores the importance and concerns that 2,000 UK citizens have in relation to their data privacy following the pandemic. It reveals that although privacy is important to UK consumers, the majority would be willing to provide personal data in order to move on from lockdown restrictions. The study shows that seven-in-10 (72%) respondents are prepared to provide healthcare, movement, and contact data for a range of situations, including returning to bars and restaurants, large events, and foreign travel.

Though privacy trust is at an all-time low, Brits are also prepared to provide personal data specifically to move on from the global crisis altogether, with almost half (45%) happy to share their personal healthcare data, movements and contacts to help post-pandemic recovery. While the return of foreign travel is a motivating factor for almost one-third (31%) of UK users, followed by being able to visit a bar or restaurant (28%) and visiting a large event (26%), it is clear that organisations must do more to ensure they are protecting data, with an overwhelming 83% of UK consumers are concerned that their data may fall into the wrong hands in the next two years.

“As we safely move out of all COVID restrictions, it is vital that businesses make sure their data collection and storage policies are secure enough to protect sensitive and personal information. Customers need to know how their data is used, where and how safely it is stored. They should also be informed before that data is shared with third parties, and offered a way to opt out of such sharing. When data is so valuable, this is the only way to build customer trust and nurture long-term relationships that will last beyond the pandemic,” comments David Emm, Principal Security Researcher, Kaspersky.

To find out more about attitudes towards data privacy and the pandemic, explore the findings in the Kaspersky data