Personal Data, Privacy & Smartphones: The Cautious Consumer

Released:

March, 2021

Press Release Reference:

AppsFlyer and MMA Survey Finds Smartphone Owners Highly Concerned About Marketers’ Use of Their Data

Region:

In June of 2020, Apple announced that with the introduction of iOS14, new privacy features would include consumer opt-in for permission to track.

In partnership with Appsflyer, the MMA conducted research with marketers about the implication of these privacy related updates to their business outcomes, how marketers and app developers are thinking about, planning for and changing operationally for the new world of privacy and data limitations and how consumers are thinking about data privacy in light of the Apple iOS 14 update to a full opt in system for data usage—which other companies are likely to follow.

Some of the key findings include:

There is heightened concern among smartphone owners for whom there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to navigating the use of their data by app developers and content providers.
A significant number of smartphone users have taken technological action to protect their privacy with ad blockers (used by 47%) and browser extensions (35%) the most common tactics.
Less than 1/3 of smartphone owners are aware of Apple’s privacy changes and when presented with the scenario of how it will work, they find it alarming and on average nearly half (47%) are very unlikely to opt in to tracking.
Smartphone owners are divided in terms of how confident they feel to make a decision about tracking and think that big tech needs to step in and provide more education.