The Norwegian population knows more about privacy than ever before. At the same time, many people feel that online tracking is confusing and that they are uncomfortable with all the information about them that is out there. This was revealed in a nationwide survey of the population’s attitude to privacy conducted by the Norwegian Data Protection Authority in the winter of 2024.
Six years after the new data protection regulations came into force, far fewer people (21 per cent) say they are very unfamiliar with the regulations than when we last asked in 2019 (37 per cent). Around 70 per cent are also aware of their most important rights. In 2019, more people with a high level of education and income were aware of the regulations, which is still the case. Among those who are less familiar with the regulations and rights, we also find a significantly larger proportion of young people aged 15 to 19.
“We regularly receive enquiries from young employees who are unsure of their rights, for example in connection with camera surveillance. It’s important that this group is also made more aware of the regulations,” says Kari Laumann, Acting Director of Investigation, Analysis and Policy at the Norwegian Data Protection Authority.
Lack of control and discomfort
It is demanding to have an overview of who collects which personal data and what it is used for. Only 29 per cent feel that they have control over how their personal data is used online, and 50 per cent feel uncomfortable thinking about how much personal data there is about them online. The youngest respondents and those with a high level of education say that they have little control, while discomfort is widespread. The oldest people are more likely to feel uncomfortable, despite stating that they have more control than the rest of the population.
The vast majority of respondents (74 per cent) have refrained from downloading an app because they are unsure of how their personal data will be used. Those who also find it uncomfortable to think about all the personal data that is out there are more likely to avoid participating in various online activities than the rest of the population. Age also plays a role here. The 15 to 19 age group is less likely than the rest of the population to be hindered by uncertainty about services’ use of personal data.
Young people are less concerned about privacy
The youngest people in the survey (15 to 19 years) are also far less concerned about privacy than the rest of the population. While an average of 16 per cent are less concerned about privacy, 33 per cent in this age group say the same. At the same time, this age group has less knowledge of the regulations and feels that they have less control over their personal data, and they find it just as uncomfortable as everyone else to realise that there is a lot of personal data online.
“Young people are used to giving up large amounts of personal data to the services they use, and they use a much wider range of services than older age groups do. We see in the survey that young people stand out in several areas, and it’s interesting to see that they have a slightly different approach to privacy,” says Laumann.
Artificial intelligence challenges privacy
In this year’s survey, we asked respondents to consider the consequences for privacy of using artificial intelligence. Most respondents believe that artificial intelligence will challenge privacy by collecting excessive amounts of personal data and using it in ways they do not agree with (69 per cent). There is broad support for the authorities taking an active role in regulating artificial intelligence (84 per cent), but significantly fewer believe they are able to do so (33 per cent).
https://www.datatilsynet.no/aktuelt/aktuelle-nyheter-2024/personvernundersokelsen-2024