Fishburn Hedges

08.02.2011

Recently I led one of our regular Front Room focus groups, to explore people’s views about privacy.

As you’d expect, it was a varied discussion covering everything from what people worry about most when sharing their personal data (CDs being left on trains etc…) through to the impact of new technologies on how we share – and protect – our personal information.

Glass half empty, glass half full

What really struck me was the clear dividing line that was emerging within the group.

I was talking to two completely different types of people with fundamentally different standpoints on the issue of privacy. They’re probably most easily described as ‘default victims’ and ‘default savvy consumers’.

Victim mentality

The ‘default victims’ are those who start with the assumption that they’re going to be ripped off. That Government isn’t to be trusted with their personal details and private sector businesses are just out to fleece you – simple as that.

They feel like they can’t trust anyone and – this is important – they don’t feel in control. From where they’re standing, there is no benefit from sharing data. It’s just a necessary evil.

An example: one woman in the group talked about how she hates her supermarket monitoring what she buys just because she has a loyalty card. ‘Why should they know if I like buying organic rather than regular yoghurt?’ was her view.

Granted, this information can hardly be classed as sensitive, or even particularly important. She herself admitted that it’s useless to her. The fact that someone else wants it though has made her suspicious…

The result? She cancelled her card. Protecting even data she doesn’t care about is ultimately more important to her than any benefits she might get from the loyalty card.

An extreme example perhaps, but you get the idea.

The savvy consumer

Our savvy consumers, on the other hand, start off with the view that data about them has always been out there and available for others to use, with or without new technologies that monitor what you buy or detect your current location.

Fundamentally, they feel in control – there’s a theme emerging – of what information they do and don’t choose to give away.

They feel they’re in a position where they know the rules of the game and can make it work for them.

These guys are happy to let their supermarket know that they buy organic yoghurt, if it means they then find out straight away if there’s a promotion on the brand they like.

They see it as natural that when they’re dealing with businesses, it’s about give and take. I give them something (my data) and I get something in return (financial benefits). And that seems like a pretty good deal to them.

Crossing the line

The trouble is, there are always shades of grey. When it comes to issues of privacy and protecting our personal data, the question we have to ask is where’s the line? What’s the point at which we stop feeling in control and start feeling like where our data goes is no longer our choice?

That’s the point at which it can start to get a little scary…

Visit our privacy microsite for more discussion