Millenials worry about online integrity
Millennials are aware that the data they leave behind is valuable – and they worry about how it is used. Future Report has compared their online habits in Sweden, France and Spain.
Millennials are the first generation to grow up surrounded by mobile technology and social media. They live in the moment and have been described as unattached, connected, free and idealistic. They also do their business in a time where personal data is currency. So, what are their view on integrity and privacy online? In this year’s edition of Future Report we find that Millennials in Sweden, Spain and France do care about their online privacy and that they do worry about integrity online.
67% of Spanish and French millennials in our survey said that they worry that the information they provide on social media can be used to influence political views.
Millennials’ digital lifestyle includes a higher number of friends on social media profiles, they share their location with friends and family, but are less likely to share their location with businesses and employers. They are also more likely to delete social media profiles entirely. Millennials are known to have little trust in companies and brands. They don’t trust companies like Facebook, even though they interact with them and share personal information with them.
In the wake of the unexpected outcome of Brexit and the presidential election in USA, a discussion about social media, fake news and the use of psychographic data became heated. Combined with the upcoming GDPR regulation, digital habits related to data security are even more important to understand. Our study shows that a majority of the millennials in Sweden, France and Spain are worried about the fact that traces you leave on social media are used to direct messages in order to influence elections.
Careful about traces
Millennials are aware that the personal data they provide has a value. A majority in all three countries say they worry about what states and companies knows about them.
Overall, millennials are careful about the digital traces they leave. This is confirmed when we ask if they have changed the settings on their smartphone in order to protect their personal integrity. Many claim to have done so. And when it comes to ad-blockers, the vast majority say they use them.
Read the full report:
Future Report 2017 Final Version