Technology-driven change at risk

Two-thirds (67 percent) of European consumers do not know who has access to their personal data and how it is used. Nevertheless, the majority are interested in digital progress. 58 percent of respondents in Europe believe that technology can contribute to digital progress by creating new jobs, and 68 percent want investment in technological innovation to have a lasting impact on our world. This deep divide between consumers' digital interest and their confidence in using their data could undermine the potential of technology and innovation, according to a new study of more than 6,000 European consumers by VMware.

Forty-seven percent of European respondents acknowledge that the introduction of new technologies can be uncomfortable or scary, but still believe they are necessary to improve the well-being of citizens and society - while 16 percent disagree. However, the study results also make clear that government and industry must take important steps to ensure consumers trust data sharing to drive digitalization opportunities. More than half (58 percent) of citizens are increasingly concerned about the security of their digital footprint online. In contrast, 72 percent in Europe are concerned about the role of technology in spreading misinformation.

48 percent fear that companies are tracking what they do on their devices. Furthermore, only 10 percent of Europeans believe that companies and government openly communicate what technologies they use and how they use them. Currently, distrust of data has reached a point where it threatens the potential of technology to do good. Sixty percent of consumers surveyed in Europe are afraid or uncomfortable sharing their personal data to help government and businesses develop smarter and more sustainable infrastructure. And less than a fifth (14 percent) are excited by the prospect of a "digital shadow" of the city they live in, but one that could potentially improve the efficiency of their physical environment.