Mission Impossible: The Quest for Online Privacy

In light of recent data breaches and privacy scandals across the internet, one question looms. Do consumers believe that internet privacy is possible?

Thus far, the answer has been an overwhelming “no.”

This sort of fatalism makes consumers more discerning. They’re more likely to research the validity of an e-commerce shop before purchasing—meaning that your content will likely see an uptick in user clicks. That could be beneficial for your business.

However, if consumers don’t think your checkout is well-encrypted, a growing number of them may leave their carts abandoned.

What are the statistics that outline consumers’ current beliefs on internet privacy? How can you work within your limited means to ensure that consumers feel safe enough to make meaningful purchases?

The Reach of Surveys

FigLeaf and The Black Hat independently conducted surveys asking their reading audiences about their opinions on internet safety.

The FigLeaf survey, conducted in 2019, gathered over 4,000 responses from users in the U.S. and the U.K. The results? Not only do two-thirds of the polled recipients believe that data privacy is impossible online—the number of people who once believed that privacy was even attainable is on a rapid decline. In 2018, nearly 61 percent of participants thought online privacy was possible. Now? Only 32 percent of 2019’s participants believe so.

The Black Hat survey, which is conducted yearly, displays the data privacy opinions of 315 CISOs, CIOs, technology officers, security specialists, and researchers. Over half of these participates said they felt a need to limit the amount of data they shared online with Facebook and other platforms.

Security Preferences: Actionable or No?

These surveys also gathered information about how businesses like yours could improve security online. Their suggestions?

• Work only with encrypted platforms
• Use multi-factor authentication for personal and work accounts
• Utilize firewall protection

As for the “strong password” mindset? Passwords were considered ineffective by almost half of The Black Hat’s responders.

Upgrade Your Security with Tips and Tricks

Your consumers might have a poor opinion of internet privacy, but you can do your best to mitigate their suspicions. As an e-commerce business, this shows support for your customers—but it’s also a life or death situation. If you don’t improve security, you risk a drop in sales as well as a loss of consumer engagement, and that can prove fatal.

Don’t let consumer doubt cloud your judgment though. If you’re looking to improve the security of your platform, consider the following:

• Make your privacy policy accessible: If consumers can regularly access your privacy policy and grasp its contents, they’ll know that you’re looking out for them.
• Don’t collect data you don’t need: While it’s tempting to take the whole caboodle, only use tools such as Google Analytics to collect consumer data you need to operate your marketing campaigns effectively. Don’t ask for social security numbers and other highly personal information.
• Utilize multiple layers of security or multi-factor authentication for consumer accounts: When you offer consumers that extra layer of protection, they’ll feel as though their data is more difficult to access from the outside.
• Keep an eye out for mobile device risks: Mobile consumerism is on the rise; make sure that your platform’s safety features extend to smartphones, tablets, and other handheld devices.

Conclusion

Is your company in need of help? MV3 Marketing Agency has numerous Marketing experts ready to assist you. Contact MV3 Marketing to jump-start your business.

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