81 percent of consumers would stop engaging with a brand after a data breach

With growing consumer awareness of data breaches and the potential for businesses to misuse data, a new survey looks at how this is affecting behavior.

The study from Ping Identity surveyed over 4,000 people around the world and finds 49 percent of respondents are more concerned about protecting their personal information than they were a year ago.

Significantly 81 percent would stop engaging with a brand online following a data breach. The expectation from 63 percent of consumers is that a company is always responsible for protecting data. This includes when users fall victim to phishing scams or use an unencrypted Wi-Fi connection.

The sharing of personal data is increasingly a problem for consumers too. More than half of respondents (55 percent) say a company sharing their personal data without permission is even more likely than a data breach (27 percent) to deter them from using that brand's products.

Social media companies are among the least trusted, with only 28 percent of respondents saying they feel confident in these platforms' ability to protect their personal information. In addition almost two-thirds of consumers (65 percent) are frustrated by login experiences and a third (33 percent) have stopped using a device, app or service, or have left a bad review following a poor login experience.

"There's no question, businesses risk losing customers and damaging their brands if they lack strong, transparent data protection practices," says Richard Bird, chief customer information officer at Ping Identity. "With a large percentage of consumers holding companies responsible for data protection, there is a competitive advantage for organizations that deliver secure and convenient experiences through identity management -- and with that, a danger for those who don't."

The full report is available from the Ping Identity site.

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