Online privacy real concern for 90% of US Internet users

It pays to be cautious online with the amount of phishing scams and dodgy websites. TRUSTe's inaugural Consumer Confidence Edition, a new quarterly index from the privacy management firm, shows that the vast majority of US online users have real concerns.

A whopping 90% of consumers were found to worry about their online privacy be it often, frequently or sometimes. Just 10% never worry about it. Forty one percent disagreed with the statement "I trust most companies with my personal information online" and 12% strongly disagreed.

The impact on business is obvious. TRUSTe's survey found that 88% somewhat or strongly agreed they would not do business with a company they believed did not protect their online privacy.

"Mobile, apps, social media and behavioral targeting are all making privacy issues increasingly front of mind for consumers," said Jules Polonesky, Director of the Future of Privacy Forum. "By providing a high-level ongoing pulse on the market - through the viewpoint of the consumer - TRUSTe's Consumer Confidence Privacy Index yields valuable insights into how customers are responding to changing privacy issues and, in turn, businesses' efforts to address them."

The full findings are illustrated in an infographic that can be viewed here.

Tags: consumer insight, data protection, infographic, online business, online privacy, privacy issues