Most Britons worry over control of personal data online

A new survey by Ping Identity indicates that nearly three-quarters of British consumers feel they will never be fully in control of their personal information online.

The research, which involved 2,000 UK respondents, highlights significant concerns surrounding the security of personal data amid the growing digital footprint of individuals.

One of the striking revelations of the survey is that 60% of Britons are unaware of the number of companies that have access to their personal data. Despite this lack of awareness, 88% expressed a desire to limit the number of entities accessing their information. The primary concerns for wanting more control over their data include fears of financial loss (48%), data breaches (39%), and impersonation (33%). Additionally, over two-thirds (67%) of British consumers are apprehensive about identity theft when sharing data, a clear sign of the prevailing anxiety about inadequate fraud protections.

The survey also examined the various online experiences where consumers feel most vulnerable to the threat of identity theft. Online shopping is seen as a particularly risky activity by 65% of respondents, closely followed by online banking (64%) and social media platforms (60%).

Paul Inglis, Senior Vice President and General Manager EMEA at Ping Identity, commented on the findings, stating, "Digital experience is at the heart of customer trust, and as expectations continue to evolve, brands must prioritise creating a more secure and intuitive online environment. There's immense opportunity for organisations to leverage AI and decentralised identity to achieve this goal, but it requires addressing consumer concerns head-on while ensuring adoption is gradual and approachable. These technologies are the future of identity and adopters will stand apart from non-adopters by achieving best in class consumer experiences."

The report also revealed that 88% of UK respondents are concerned about identity theft and fraud in general. Among the respondents, 32% have fallen victim to identity fraud. The most commonly experienced types of fraud included financial identity fraud (16%), impersonation (8%), and account takeover (7%). Furthermore, 84% of respondents indicated that they would feel more protected against fraud if verification methods were integrated into digital experiences.

Spam calls remain a frequent nuisance for many individuals, with 34% receiving such calls at least once a week and over 10% experiencing them daily.

Consumers have also voiced their frustrations with the digital experience, particularly regarding passwords and authentication methods. According to the survey, 70% of UK respondents consider privacy and consent crucial to their overall experience when interacting with brands. About 40% have switched to a competitor service due to frustrations with passwords. The desire to improve the login experience is evident, with 74% of respondents wanting to change the way they log into websites and applications they frequently use. Over half of the respondents (53%) have stopped using an account or online service because they became frustrated while trying to log in.

Among the preferred methods for a more secure online experience, 62% of respondents favoured text/email one-time passcodes whereas only 27% showed a preference for voice recognition.