Younger consumers are more concerned about online privacy and are more likely to actively take steps to protect their data, according to Cisco’s 2023 Consumer Privacy Survey.
The survey, published on Friday, Oct. 20, revealed that 42 percent of adults aged 18 to 24 have “switched companies or providers over their data policies or data-sharing practices.” Meanwhile, only 15 percent of people aged 75 and above have done this.
“They’re [young people] getting quite savvy, especially compared to older consumers. Not so long ago, the widespread belief was that consumers, particularly younger generations, were not particularly careful with their data… But as we found in this year’s study, things have changed. More people are protecting their privacy, and younger people are leading the way,” Robert Waitman, the director of Cisco’s Privacy Center of Excellence, said.
Cisco’s 2023 Consumer Privacy Survey was a double-blind survey involving 2,600 adults from 12 countries.
Youths are Leading the Charge for Privacy
The survey revealed that younger customers are more likely to exercise Data Subject Access Rights (42 percent) and make data change or deletion requests (32 percent). In comparison, the figure stood at 6 percent and 4 percent for those aged 75 years and above.
“Interestingly, survey results indicate that younger consumers are the most willing to take action when it is necessary to protect their privacy,” Cisco said.
Still, half of the respondents agreed it was the primary responsibility of national and local authorities to create laws that protect user data.
“Many consumers don’t trust private companies to be responsible for protecting personal data on their own,” Cisco said. “However, consumers also feel they have limited power to safeguard their personal data.”
These findings echo the results of a survey published in August, which revealed that 92% of Americans want Congress to enable a comprehensive national privacy law like the European Union’s GDPR.
AI and Privacy: The Precarious Balancing Act
Cisco’s survey also highlighted the widespread apprehension about AI and privacy. While 48 percent of the respondents agreed that AI can improve their lives, 62 percent are uneasy about AI’s current application, and 60% confess a diminishing trust in organizations based on their use of AI.
A majority of the respondents said they’re deriving significant value from generative AI, but 88 percent said they would be concerned if their data was shared with AI. Meanwhile, 86 percent expressed concern about generative AI potentially being a misinformation source or even posing larger threats to humanity.
A significant number of participants (about 78 percent) said they would feel more at ease with AI if “a human was involved in the decision-making process” and if organizations instituted “an AI ethics management program,” Cisco revealed.
To assuage these concerns and build trust, Cisco recommends that organizations implement AI ethics management programs, audit AI applications for bias, and improve transparency.
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