Study: Personal data requires user-centric approach

New York – A user-centric approach is the best way to enhance trust, transparency and privacy in personal data usage. In conjunction with A.T. Kearney, the World Economic Forum has released three reports as part of its Rethinking Personal Data initiative.



The first report, “Rethinking Personal Data: A New Lens for Strengthening Trust,” advises that individuals must have more of a say in how their data is used and should be able to use the data for their own purposes. “Rethinking Personal Data: Trust and Context in User-Centred Data Ecosystems,” an empirical study across different countries, examines the importance of context-aware data usage and how it impacts trust.



And “The Internet Trust Bubble: Global Values, Beliefs and Practices” uses the results from a survey of 16,000 respondents to assess the attitudes and behavior of Internet users globally. It shows that individuals are on the whole positive about the opportunities offered by the Internet, particularly related to freedom of expression. However, the report highlights concerns over privacy, surveillance and security.



“In order to build a truly sustainable personal data economy, regaining the trust of individuals over the use of their data is imperative,” said Naveen Menon, partner and APAC head of communications, media, and technology at A.T. Kearney. “This means finding new ways to connect and provide them with choices that enable them to return to a sense of control over data usage.”