New data: Aussies have little faith that organisations will keep their data safe and private
- One-third (33.6%) of New Zealand’s Internet Traffic in 2021 Wasn’t Human As Account Takeover and Online Fraud Increases
- 51% say they would stop using a company’s services if they suffered a serious data breach
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA — April 19, 2022 — Imperva, Inc., (@Imperva) the comprehensive digital security leader on a mission to help organisations protect their data and all paths to it, releases new data that shows Aussies have little trust in organisations keeping their information secure and private. The “No Silver Linings” report, informed by a YouGov survey of 1,004 Australians, also found that Australian consumers will vote with their feet if that trust is violated.
Against the backdrop of increasing data breaches and misuse of personal data, the majority of Aussies (39%) say their faith in the willingness of digital service providers to keep personal data secure and private has decreased in the past five years, while 36% remained the same and 14% increased. More than a quarter (28%) say they don’t trust any industry listed to adequately protect their data. Among different generations, people aged 45-54 have the most mistrust of organisations (34%), while 18-24 year olds are more trusting (22%). There are serious consequences for organisations that fail to secure their consumers’ data. Half (51%) of Australian respondents have stopped, or would stop, using a company’s services following a serious data breach.
“Organisations face a complete breakdown of trust unless they begin rebuilding now,” says Tony Mascarenhas, Area Vice President for Australia and New Zealand, Imperva. “While organisations rush to introduce more digital innovations, it is vital they don’t overlook the potential security risks these new technologies create. Data breaches can have a real and lasting impact – from downtime and fines to loss of revenue and damaged brand reputation. Prevention is always going to be better than the cure, which is why data-centric security must be part of every organisation’s strategy in 2022.”
Trust by industry: Financial Services most trusted; Retail and Online Gaming least trusted
Even industries that handle the most valuable and sensitive data are not trusted. Only 43% trust Financial Services, and 37% trust Healthcare and Government. There is almost no trust for Messaging Services, Social Media, Media and Streaming Services, Online Gaming, and Retail (all scoring 10% or below).
| Q. Which of the following organisations do you completely trust to keep your private information absolutely private? | ||||||||
| Ages | FSI | Gov | Health | Message
Services |
Social Media | Media/
Streaming |
Retailers | Online Gaming |
| All Adults | 43% | 37% | 37% | 10% | 9% | 9% | 6% | 6% |
| 18-44 | 38% | 33% | 30% | 15% | 14% | 13% | 7% | 10% |
| 45+ | 48% | 42% | 44% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 5% | 2% |
The research also highlighted a generation gap when it comes to trusting specific industries with personal data. Older generations (45+) place more trust in highly regulated industries than younger generations (18-35). On the other hand, young Aussies are more likely to trust those digital-first brands (Messaging Services, Social Media and Streaming Services), when compared to older consumers.
“The majority of Aussies trust highly regulated industries because they know they are required to meet a higher standard by law,” says Mascarenhas. “However, younger consumers are bucking this trend. Instead they trust the digital-first brands that they use on a daily basis because they have become a utility in their life. Valuable lessons in the management and protection of personal data can be gleaned from both ends of the spectrum.”
Aussies reticent about health or financial information
The majority (77%) of Australians are happy to share their personal information such as name, contact information, and date of birth with organisations – either openly online or with sites and apps that are password protected or have two-factor authentication. However, when it comes to financial and health information, more than a third say they never share this information with a digital service or app, with mental health information the most tightly held. Again, the data found a difference in generations with younger Aussies more likely to share their information with digital services and apps, compared to older generations
| Information I never share with a digital service or app (by type) | |
| Mental Health (e.g. any diagnosed conditions or current concerns) | 44% |
| Medical (e.g. test results, medical history, medication, etc.) | 38% |
| Financial (e.g. wages, savings, pension, etc.) | 37% |
| Banking (e.g. bank account number, credit card number, banking PIN, etc.) | 37% |
| Health (e.g. heart rate, blood pressure, weight. etc.) | 34% |
| Personal (e.g. name, contact information, date of birth, etc.) | 13% |
Consumers have lost control over their own information
The proliferation of data collection in the digital economy is making it increasingly difficult for consumers to maintain control over their personal information. The majority of Australians (64%) feel like they don’t have a choice but to share their personal data if they want to use online services. Two in three (66%) say they have “no idea” how many companies they’ve shared their personal data with, and 47% say they share data with so many different companies that they can’t possibly verify each company’s track record of how well they look after and protect personal data.
Research methodology
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 6,773 adults across the USA (2,604), UK (2,086), Australia (1,004), and Singapore (1,079). Fieldwork was undertaken between December 22 – 30, 2021. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all country adults (aged 18+).