Skip to main content
search

10th Annual Trust Study

Trust Under Siege: Navigating The Headwinds Affecting User Confidence

The 10th annual MEF Global Consumer Trust Report reveals a concerning trend: data abstinence, the declining quantity and quality of shared information. Globally, 67% of users avoid sharing personal data, and only 12% are unconcerned about data control. This behavior is impacting social media platforms, as users become more passive and limit their data sharing, leading to less rich data profiles. The industry faces challenges from both fake accounts and this growing user reluctance.

To counteract this, the industry must proactively address user perceptions and concerns. While data sharing can remain a viable market, it hinges on reinforcing long-term user trust. The entire data supply chain must prioritize and demonstrate care for end-user concerns.

The MEF community is committed to further investigating this issue. While it’s not a cause for alarm, complacency is not an option. The focus is on collaboratively building a new paradigm for a data economy that prioritizes user trust and data control.

Download Now - Members Only

This content has been restricted to logged in users only. Please login to view this content.

Download Now - Executive Summary

Key Takeaways

  • Stagnant Trust

The Global Trust Index, a measure of user confidence in personal data sharing, remains weak at 55% and has not improved since last year.

  • Awareness of Data Use A Mixed Blessing

While awareness of how personal data is used is high, it may be driven by negative news and data misuse. Increased awareness alone does not improve trust; greater confidence in control and safeguards is also necessary.

  • Positive Perceptions Have Plateaued

Perceptions of ease, convenience, online confidence, and privacy have stagnated or declined, reversing a long-term upward trend.

  • Incremental Decline in Data Harm Is Not Enough

Although there has been a slight decrease in reported data harms, it hasn’t translated to improved trust. Most data harms remain more common than in previous years.

  • Fewer Users Noticing Improvements

The proportion of users who perceive improvements in data education, controls, and security has plateaued or declined.

  • Protective Actions No Longer Increasing

For the first time, there is no continued upward trend in protective actions taken by users. There’s also a lack of certainty that these actions significantly improve safety.

MEF's 10th Annual Trust Study serves as a critical compass, providing invaluable insights into the current state of trust in the mobile industry. Unfortunately, despite some individual market variations, the overall 2024 Trust Index score remains relatively weak and has failed to improve on last year. This landmark study delves into the evolving perceptions and expectations of consumers, enterprises, and other stakeholders, shedding light on the challenges and triumphs encountered in building and maintaining trust through maintaining awareness of how personal data is used, control over that personal data, and belief in security safeguards.

With a decade of experience in examining trust dynamics, this study offers a unique longitudinal perspective, tracking trends and identifying emerging concerns. It explores a wide range of factors, including fraud prevention, data privacy, security practices, and the impact of new technologies like 5G and artificial intelligence.

We invite you to explore the wealth of knowledge within these pages and join us in the ongoing journey to elevate trust in the mobile ecosystem.

Gavin PattersonMEF Director of Data

"The 10th annual MEF Global Consumer Trust Report reveals a concerning trend: data abstinence. Despite the mobile economy's growth, the quantity and quality of shared information are declining.67% of users globally avoid sharing personal data, and only 12% are unconcerned about data control. Actions like deleting accounts and minimizing data sharing are impacting social media platforms, as users become increasingly passive, leading to less rich data profiles. The industry faces challenges from both fake accounts and users limiting their data.

To combat this, the industry must proactively address these perceptions. Data sharing can remain a valid and thriving market, but only with reinforced long-term user buy-in. The entire data supply chain needs to demonstrate care for end-user concerns. The MEF community is committed to delving deeper into this issue. It's not a time for alarm, but complacency isn't an option either. The focus is on collaboratively building the next paradigm for a data economy that prioritizes user trust and data control."

Dario BettiCEO, MEF
Close Menu

Member Login

Subscribe to our mailing list

* indicates required
MEF