More than 80 percent of the UK public have taken steps to deny tech companies permission to access and use their personal data. But it’s not enough to abate wide-spread concern about digital identity security, according to a new report from digital identity vendor, ID Crypt Global.
Its survey of 1,250 members of the UK public shows that concern is high while industry insiders say that public trust is low.
Seventy-two percent of respondents say they are concerned about the privacy of their digital identity, while 75 percent are concerned that the mobile apps they use are utilising data to track their online and, sometimes, offline activity.
Their biggest concern is social media, with 47 percent saying this is where they are most concerned about the privacy and safety of their personal data, with the data of most concern being personal contacts (21 percent), media libraries (18 percent), and location (16 percent).
In the face of this concern, it seems people are taking matters into their own hands, noted the company.
Sixty-six percent claim that they are aware of the kind of data that online sites and apps are gathering, while 68 percent say that they have actually reviewed permissions before installing a mobile app.
Importantly, 81 percent of people have read the small print and then decided to actively deny the permissions that the app is hoping to be given.
Self-Sovereign Identity
The firm advocates for a Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) or decentralised identity model which gives individuals ownership and control of their digital identities without relying on third parties. It allows people to self-manage their digital identities, choosing what companies can and cannot access and share, and because it is stored in a decentralised manner, the risk of major data breaches is mitigated.
“The EU is currently looking into SSI; what role it can play and how it can best be rolled out across the population. Here in the UK, we’re no longer part of the EU so our government would have to take its own proactive approach, said CEO and founder of ID Crypt Global, Lauren Wilson-Smith.
“We’ve long hoped that SSI would become the universal norm, and now this survey proves that the general public want and need it as quickly as possible.
“People know about the data grabbing that’s going on, and they know that there are serious problems with the way it has been allowed to happen so widely and so quickly. Consumers can do their best to protect themselves, but they simply do not have the level of control they deserve or require. And it’s well-known that in the absence of personal control or process transparency, trust levels plummet.
“We all have to hope that UK lawmakers and regulators get their heads around SSI as quickly as possible, but in the meantime there are some great service providers out there who are working hard to protect consumers from this greedy, cynical, and risky practice.”
