Factsheet
Data protection
Eurobarometer
June 2015
Justice and Consumers
Directorate General
Vĕra Jourová
Commissioner for Justice, Consumers
and Gender Equality
In January 2012, the European Commission proposed a comprehensive reform of data protection
rules in the EU. The objective is to make data protection rules fit for the digital age by putting
citizens back in control over of their personal data and simplifying the regulatory environment
for business. The completion of this reform is a key priority for 2015 and a key enabler of the
Digital Single Market project , which aims to empower European citizens and businesses to fully
seize the opportunities of the digital economy.
The Eurobarometer survey (1), conducted in March 2015, asked 28 000 EU citizens what they think about
the protection of their personal data. The overall conclusion of the survey shows that the protection
of personal data remains a very important concern for citizens, as it was when the Commission
presented the reform in 2012. Its outcome confirms the need to finalise the data protection reform.
1. Control over personal data
• Only a minority (15%) feel they have complete
control over the information they provide online;
31% think they have no control over it at all.
• Two-thirds of respondents (67%) are concerned
about not having complete control over the
information they provide online.
• A majority of respondents are concerned about
the recording of their activities via payment
cards and via mobile phones (55% in both
cases).
(1) Special Eurobarometer 431, Data protection: http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/
archives/eb_special_439_420_en.htm#431. This survey was carried out by
the TNS Opinion & Social network in the 28 Member States of the European
Union in February - March 2015. 27,980 respondents from different social and
demographic groups were interviewed face-to-face at home in their mother
tongue on behalf of the Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers, using
the standard methodology for Eurobarometer surveys.
Justice
and Consumers
Data protection Eurobarometer June 2015
2. Disclosure of personal data
• A large majority of people (71%) say that providing personal information is an increasing part of
modern life and accept that there is no other alternative than to provide it if they want to obtain
products of services.
• Over half of respondents disagree with the statement, “providing personal information is not a
big issue for you” (57%).
• People most commonly provide personal information online in order to make a payment or to
have a purchase delivered.
• A majority of people are uncomfortable about Internet companies using information about their
online activity to tailor advertisements.
• Two-thirds of respondents think it is important to be able to transfer personal information from
an old service provider to a new one.
3. Risks and responsibilities related to personal information
provided online
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Data protection Eurobarometer June 2015
• Half of the respondents say that becoming a victim of fraud is the most serious risk associated
with their personal information, while four out of ten consider their online identity being used for
fraudulent purposes as the main risk.
• When asked who they think should make sure the personal information they provide online is
collected, stored and exchanged safely, respondents believe the responsibility is shared between
online companies (67%) and individuals themselves (66%), but also public authorities (55%).
4. Management of personal data by other parties and
perceived risks
• 69% of people say that their explicit approval should be required in all cases before their data
is collected and processed.
• More than six out of ten respondents say that they do not trust landline or mobile phone
companies and internet service providers (62%) or online businesses (63%).
• Roughly seven out of ten people are concerned about their information being used for a different
purpose from the one it was collected for.
• Almost all Europeans say they would want to be informed should their data ever be lost or stolen.
• Two-thirds of people think the public authority or private company handling the data should be
the ones to inform them if it has been lost or stolen.
• A majority of people say they would be worried about data stored on their computer or on their
mobile devices should those items ever be stolen.
Half of Europeans have heard about revelations concerning mass data collection by governments.
Awareness ranges from 76% in Germany to 22% in Bulgaria.
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Data protection Eurobarometer June 2015
5. Data collection and privacy
policies
• Only two out of ten respondents are always
informed about data collection and the way
data are used
• Only a fifth of respondents fully read privacy
statements (18%).
6. Social network privacy
settings
• Over half of the people who use online social
networks have tried to change their privacy
settings.
• Three quarters of people who tried to change
their privacy settings said the process was
easy.
• People who have not changed their privacy
settings are most likely to say they don’t
consider it necessary, or that they don’t
know how to do it.
7. Scope and enforcement of
data protection rules
• Nine out of ten Europeans think that it is
important for them to have the same
rights and protection over their personal
information, regardless of the country
in which the public authority or private
company offering the service is based.
• Over four out of ten respondents (45%) think
the enforcement of rules on personal data
protection should be handled at European
level, while a slightly lower proportion (42%)
think it should be dealt with at the national
level.
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