While the use of apps, by general users and big businesses alike, has grown exponentially over the past few years, a new report indicates that concerns about privacy with regards to how apps use personal data have also come to the forefront.

 

This came to light in the first Global Privacy Report, released by global trade association for mobile technology, MEF. The report, which was conducted across ten countries (including South Africa) and culled together the views of 9 500 respondents, is aimed at revealing consumer attitudes towards the use of their personal information by mobile app providers.

 

 

MEF explained that the explosion of the apps ecosystem is driven by new business models, where many apps are free or heavily discounted which of course consumers love.For their part, developers monetise the information they collect on their users.  

 

The catch? User’s personal information then becomes a commodity, while users’ privacy can all too easily be compromised. Apparently, more app users are waking up to this risk, with varying reactions.

 

According to the report, only a third of consumers (37%) are comfortable sharing personal data with an app, while the majority of users were found to consider it important to know when an app is gathering (70%) and sharing (71%) their personal information.

 

Interestingly enough, users in South Africa, along with Brazil and Mexico, were found to be the least comfortable sharing personal information with an app.

 

 

Other highlights of the survey include the general perception that security around data is robust, with only 18% stating they are not confident that their personal information is being protected. Interestingly, women and older consumers (over 35’s) were apparently more likely to have concerns over privacy.

 

“Two main themes emerged from the research: Consumers demand transparency when apps are sharing their data, and importantly the app community needs to do a better job of explaining to consumers why it’s in their interests to do so,” commented Andrew Bud, MEF Global Chair.

 

He further pointed out that this lack of active transparency and education risks holding back the global mobile content and commerce market. Bud continued that, according to the survey, 35% of consumers do not purchase more often on their mobile because of a lack of trust.”We are committed to working with our members to help the industry address this challenge,” he stressed.

 

 

There is no doubt that apps – and app ecosystems – are here to stay, and it is only reasonable to expect each to continue to grow. The question is what will become of old fashioned privacy in general, or whether the whole notion of keeping some information about yourself, to yourself, is simply destined for extinction.

 

Indeed, like so many species that go extinct, the scope of the loss is often only fully realised and felt after the tipping point has already been reached, when it is near impossible to undo. Let us hope that this is not privacy’s fate as well.