Most people that use the internet know that big tech companies tend to use their personal data to profit from their usage of any particular website. However, it seems like all of that will be changing quite soon with the California Consumer Protection Act, legislation that is going to require all tech companies to have a link that people could click that would prevent them from selling personal data. This link would basically allow users to opt out of the use of their personal data that companies would be able to profit from.
However, how many users would actually use this option if it was made available to them? It turns out that a lot of people would want to opt out. A recent survey that was conducted by BritePool and USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations which involved 1,004 adults showed that 90% of the respondents stated that they would not allow sites to use their personal data if they were given an option to do so.
Some other questions that the survey asked involved whether or not companies should use personal data, whether users were comfortable with it and whether or not they felt like a change was needed. The responses to these questions showed that an overwhelming number of users agreed that companies should not be able to share personal data like this, with nearly 46% strongly agreeing and a further 33% were "Somewhat agree".
This survey indicates that companies will have to change the way they operate if they want to continue having the userbases that they currently have. They will have to turn to more upfront advertising packages that they can sell to marketing agencies and brands, and since the use of personal data is a big earner for some companies this new legislation might mean that their profit margins are going to end up taking quite a hit.
Read next: We Have Witnessed The Worst Decade In Tech! Here Is How
However, how many users would actually use this option if it was made available to them? It turns out that a lot of people would want to opt out. A recent survey that was conducted by BritePool and USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations which involved 1,004 adults showed that 90% of the respondents stated that they would not allow sites to use their personal data if they were given an option to do so.
Some other questions that the survey asked involved whether or not companies should use personal data, whether users were comfortable with it and whether or not they felt like a change was needed. The responses to these questions showed that an overwhelming number of users agreed that companies should not be able to share personal data like this, with nearly 46% strongly agreeing and a further 33% were "Somewhat agree".
This survey indicates that companies will have to change the way they operate if they want to continue having the userbases that they currently have. They will have to turn to more upfront advertising packages that they can sell to marketing agencies and brands, and since the use of personal data is a big earner for some companies this new legislation might mean that their profit margins are going to end up taking quite a hit.
Read next: We Have Witnessed The Worst Decade In Tech! Here Is How
