Privacy management solution provider TRUSTe issued the first Consumer Confidence Edition of its ongoing Privacy Index Series which measures privacy concerns and sentiments of U.S. adults online and the impact on businesses.
The study revealed that 90 percent of online adults worry about their privacy online in general and 41 percent don't trust most businesses with their personal information online. Most shocking was that 88 percent of online adults avoid doing business with the companies who they believe don't protect their privacy. And to make matters worse, 95 percent of adults believe companies have a responsibility to protect their privacy online.
TRUSTe's findings reveal an alarming lack of consumer confidence online which can have serious negative consequences for businesses," said Chris Babel, CEO of TRUSTe. "That said, the research also revealed that nearly 60 percent of online adults trust most businesses with their personal information online -- proof that many companies take privacy seriously and are rewarded as a result. TRUSTe is committed to working with businesses to help build online trust with consumers by providing a comprehensive suite of solutions designed to address privacy concerns across all their online businesses on a worldwide basis."