50% of people would exercise at least one right under the CCPA

As state houses and Congress rush to consider new consumer privacy legislation in 2020, ​Americans expect more control over their personal information online, and are concerned with how businesses use the data collected about them, a DataGrail research reveals.

In a OnePoll online survey of 2,000 people aged 18 and above, ​4 out of 5 ​Americans agreed there should be a law to protect their personal data, and ​83 percent ​of people​ ​expect to have control over how their data is used at a business.

The request for more control over their personal data comes after many Americans experienced, first-hand, existing protections not working – ​62 percent ​of people continue to receive emails from a company after unsubscribing.

In addition, ​more than 82 percent ​of people have concerns about businesses monitoring or collecting data from their phone’s microphone, laptop webcams, home devices (such as Google Home, Alexa, etc.), or mobile devices (phone, laptop, etc.) with location tracking.

Consumers do not feel safe from privacy infringements

Further, the research shows consumers do not feel safe from privacy infringements wherever they may be: ​85%​ of those polled said they were concerned that businesses could be monetizing their laptops’ location.

In response to Americans’ demands, state regulators are listening. Several states have developed their own regulations, including California, Nevada and Maine, with Washington, New York and several other states following suit.

The ​California Consumer Privacy Act​ (CCPA) that went into effect Jan. 1, 2020, is one of the most consumer-forward, comprehensive and prominent data privacy laws. However, only ​24 percent​ of Americans are familiar or have heard of it.

“As people put more of themselves online, they expect to have more control and transparency over their personal information,” said Daniel Barber, CEO of DataGrail.

“The good news is that businesses are responding. Brands are already making big moves to show their dedication to privacy, and it’s paying off. Those that proactively update preferences and consent will end up with a more loyal customer-base.

“However, we still have a lot of education to do. It’s clear people want the regulations. Our research shows that 50% of people would exercise at least one right under the CCPA.”

Control personal data: Data security over affordability

If all Americans were given the rights included in the CCPA:

• 65% of people would like to know and have access to what information businesses are collecting about them.
• 62% of people would like the right to opt-out and tell a business not to share or sell personal information.
• 58% of people would like the right to protections against businesses that do not uphold the value of their privacy.
• 49% of people would like the right to delete their personal data held by the business.

People are also more than willing to take their wallets elsewhere, even if it meant breaking their shopping preferences if they discovered their private data was not protected or that their data was being sold. The survey found that ​77%​ would not shop at their favorite retailer if they found they did not keep their personal data safe.

Additionally, consumers said they would be willing to pay more for better privacy protections: 73%​ of people polled said they would pay more to online services companies (retailers, ecommerce, and social media) to ensure they didn’t sell their data, show them ads, or use their data for marketing or sales purposes.