Most Australians still don't feel in control of their online personal data

Paige Murphy
By Paige Murphy | 15 April 2021
 

New research released today shows almost eight out of 10 (79%) Australians don’t feel like they have enough control over how their online data is used, also citing concerns over how it’s being collected.

The research conducted by advertising technology company The Trade Desk and YouGov found that 81% of Australians are concerned over the collection and use of their personal data on the internet.

In addition, Australians reported the highest level of confusion on data use among consumers in the Asia-Pacific region.

Over seven in 10 (71%) believe the information provided on how their online data is being used is hard to understand.

Australians have a strong appetite to learn though, with 85% stating they would like to better understand what data is being collected as they browse the internet.

At the same time, more than half (56%) are more comfortable with their data being used for advertising when they have more control over its use.

“This research reveals both a concerning lack of trust in online data collection and a strong appetite amongst Australians to better understand how it all works," The Trade Desk Australia and New Zealand general manager James Bayes says.

The research supports the move to develop a more privacy-conscious identity solution that puts the consumer in the driver’s seat.

Initially developed by The Trade Desk, Unified ID 2.0 is an industry-wide initiative to pioneer an upgraded alternative to third-party cookies.

Beta testing for Unified ID 2.0 will begin in Australia with companies including ARN, Southern Cross Austereo, Unruly, Criteo, Index Exchange, LiveRamp, Magnite, Nielsen, OpenX, PubMatic.

"Nielsen is currently working on UID2.0 implementations that enable persistent, cookieless identity resolution," Nielsen executive director, commercial growth and product strategy Jonathan Betts says.

"This technology is one of the solutions that will ensure that advertisers can have confidence their digital investments will continue to drive business outcomes as the privacy and technology landscape evolves."

Prebid.org will be an independent operator of the ID’s technical infrastructure.

"Beta testing of Unified ID 2.0 in Australia could not come at a better time for the industry," Bayes says.

“I’m thrilled to see us as an industry come together to give consumers what they clearly want - greater transparency, better control and more straightforward communication.

“As third-party cookies go away, the industry is under pressure to adopt a fairer identity solution. It’s clear that we need to come together to create an upgraded solution that’s more secure, better explains the value exchange of the internet to consumers, and improves consumer controls.

"That’s what’s driving beta testing of Unified ID 2.0 here in Australia as the industry looks to a new common currency for the internet that improves the experience for everyone – advertisers, publishers and consumers alike.”

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