A third (34 per cent) of Brits say they plan to exercise their right to be forgotten when the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force on May 25, according to new research from the7stars, the UK’s largest independent media agency.
The research shines a spotlight on concerns around data protection and privacy among the British public, with only one in five (19 per cent) confident their personal data is used in the best possible way by business, and GDPR prompting a further three in five (58 per cent) to question how much data businesses hold on them.
The findings are from the latest wave of The QT, a consumer confidence and attitude tracking study conducted on a quarterly basis by the7stars. The research also highlights a lack of knowledge among consumers of the changes being ushered in by the regulation, with only one in four (27 per cent) of respondents agreeing they have an understanding of what GDPR is and how it affects them.
Poor understanding of the regulation is further underscored by the fact that 75 per cent of respondents believe the UK government needs to make clear what GDPR is and how it is going to affect the British public before it is implemented. This view was particularly acute among those aged 65 and over (88 per cent).
Despite the concerns Brits have generally about data protection and privacy, 58 per cent of respondents think the regulation is a positive step towards protecting their data and privacy, with Londoners the most positive (65 per cent).
Businesses could also see a benefit, with 32 per cent of customers saying they will trust brands more with their data as a result of the implementation of the regulation. This view was notably higher among those aged 18-24 (40 per cent).
Frances Revel of the7stars says, ‘With ‘Implementation Day’ now less than 100 days away, time is running out fast for brands, advertisers and marketers to get their data ducks in a row. Given the importance of data to business operations, the fact that over a third of people are looking to exercise their right to be forgotten represents a real threat that cannot be ignored.
‘However, there is still time for government and brands to come together to tackle consumer concerns around data protection and privacy head on, and the brands who get this right stand to gain the most.’
Further reading on GDPR
