The share of Americans who say they are very or somewhat concerned about government use of people’s data has increased from 64% in 2019 to 71% today. Two-thirds (67%) of adults say they understand little to nothing about what companies are doing with their personal data, up from 59%.

This survey was conducted among 5,101 U.S. adults from May 15 to 21, 2023

% say they are concerned about how … use(s) the data they collect about them

  • Companies: 81%
  • The government: 71%

% say they have little to no understanding about what … do(es) with the data they collect about them

  • Companies: 67%
  • The government: 77%

% say they have very little or no trust at all that leaders of social media companies will

  • Publicly admit mistakes and take responsibility when they misuse or compromises users’ personal data: 77%
  • Not sell users’ personal data to others without their consent: 76%
  • Be held accountable by the government if they misuse or compromise users’ personal data: 71%

% say that as companies use AI to collect and analyze personal information, this information will be used in ways that …

  • People would not be comfortable with: 81%
  • Were not originally intended: 80%
  • Could make people’s lives easier: 62%

% say that when they think about managing their privacy online, they …

  • Trust themselves to make the right decisions about their personal information: 78%
  • Feel skeptical that anything they do will make much difference: 61%
  • Feel overwhelmed by figuring out what they need to do: 37%
  • Feel privacy is not that big of a deal to them: 29%
  • Are confident those who have access to their personal information will do what is right: 21%

% say they … agree to online privacy policies right away, without reading what the policies say

  • Always, almost always or often: 56%
  • Sometimes: 22%
  • Rarely or never: 18%
  • No answer: 4%

Please read the report for a more in-depth look at the data and analysis!

  • chiisanaAEnglish
    11•19 days ago

    I like how OP calls out several stats to appeal to Lemmy’s overzealous privacy focus, but does not call out the reported fact that Republicans are increasingly paranoid about being tracked, whereas the Democrats stayed apathetic about it.

    This article just shows that by and large, people don’t know what and why data are being collected, and unless they believe in the deep state conspiracy that’s being touted by the Republicans in the past several years by, they mostly don’t care.

    ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

    • @LunchMoneyThief@links.hackliberty.orgEnglish
      5•19 days ago

      Conservatives talk up a big game about online privacy and online censorship, but they consistently fail to use privacy enabling, censorship-resistant solutions.

      Go check out any of their online spaces: mostly hosted behind cloudflare. They cozy up to AWS and other hosters that have shown no issue with pulling the rug out from underneath their feet.

      It leads one to conclude that they must want to be persecuted online. Maybe its simply that conservatives feel better being able to say “I’ve been banned here, here and here, therefore we must be over the target.”