Majority of Brits are concerned about their digital identity and take steps to protect it

A new study of over 1,200 members of the UK public shows that 72 percent of respondents say they are concerned about the privacy of their digital identity, while 75 percent are concerned that the mobile apps they have are utilizing data to track their online and, sometimes, offline activity.

Perhaps more significant though is that 81 percent of people have bothered to read the small print and then decided to actively deny the permissions that an app is hoping to be given.

The research, by digital identity security specialists, ID Crypt Global, shows the biggest worry people have is social media, with 47 percent saying this is where they are most concerned about the privacy and safety of their personal data, while the data people are most concerned about is personal contacts (21 percent), media libraries (18 percent) and location (16 percent).

CEO and founder of ID Crypt Global, Lauren Wilson-Smith, says:

The EU is currently looking into SSI (Self-Sovereign Identity); what role it can play and how it can best be rolled out across the population. Here in the UK, we're no longer part of the EU so our government would have to take its own proactive approach.

As industry experts in digital identity security, we've long hoped that SSI would become the universal norm, and now this survey proves that the general public want and need it as quickly as possible.

People know about the data grabbing that's going on, and they know that there are serious problems with the way it has been allowed to happen so widely and so quickly. Consumers can do their best to protect themselves, but they simply do not have the level of control they deserve or require. And it’s well-known that in the absence of personal control or process transparency, trust levels plummet.

We all have to hope that UK lawmakers and regulators get their heads around SSI as quickly as possible, but in the meantime there are some great service providers out there who are working hard to protect consumers from this greedy, cynical, and risky practice.

The survey shows there's clearly a high level of awareness of privacy issues, with 66 percent of respondents claiming that they are aware of the kind of data that online sites and apps are gathering, while 68 percent say that they have actually reviewed permissions before installing a mobile app.

The full results are available as a Google Docs spreadsheet.

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