Privacy-Related Worries Are Keeping Users From Using E-Commerce, Survey At UNCTAD Finds

A global survey on internet security and trust found users are worried about privacy, and in particularly wary of cybercriminals, internet companies, and governments. This lack of trust is hurting the potential of electronic commerce, the survey revealed.

On the first day of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) weeklong event on electronic commerce, a survey was presented showing substantial trust issues. The survey conducted by Ipsos and the Centre for International Governance Innovation (GIGI), in collaboration with UNCTAD and the Internet Society, found that the lack of trust on the internet is keeping potential buyers from e-commerce.

The UNCTAD E-Commerce Week is taking place from 24-28 April.

According to an UNCTAD press release, the study shows that of those worried about privacy mainly worry about cybercriminals, internet companies, and governments.

“The lifeblood of the Internet is trust, and when that is damaged, the consequences for the digital economy are nearly irreparable,” Fen Osler Hampson, director of CIGI’s Global Security and Politics program, said in the release.

Almost 50 percent of the survey respondents do not trust the internet, the survey found.

The survey also found substantial differences in e-commerce behaviour, with some populations more inclined to pay for e-commerce purchases through their smartphone, such as in China, India and Indonesia, contrary to countries such as France, Germany and Japan.

Some 24,225 internet users in 24 countries participated in the survey, conducted between 23 December 2016 and 21 March 2017. The 24 countries are the following: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Tunisia, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States.

Image Credits: Flickr – Courtesy my.opera.com