Online privacy in the United Kingdom (UK) - Statistics & Facts

Over two years after the implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Europe-wide, the United Kingdom (UK) is doing relatively well under the new law. According to a country-to-country comparison of the federal budget allocated to data protection authorities (DPAs) in Europe, the UK topped the list with a hefty 61 million euros having been allocated in 2020 alone. Awareness of the GDPR in the UK is also higher than the EU average, with nearly 80 percent of respondents saying they had heard of it. Interestingly however, the UK also has one of the lowest percentages of survey respondents who claim they actually read terms and conditions when using online services. Here, the majority at 48 percent admitted they did not do so at all.

Companies and GDPR compliance

Businesses have also been adapting to this change. In order to comply with the regulations, financial investments were made - mainly in the area of implementing new processes around the handling of sensitive data. Secondary areas of investment also included data collection auditing and the hiring of compliance staff. How much did this cost? As it turns out, the majority of small businesses in the UK, France, Ireland and Spain had spent between one and ten thousand euros on GDPR compliance in 2019.

Consumer trust

As it turns out, financial rewards and free products or services are the main incentives encouraging consumers to share their personal data with companies. Conversely, charity donations did more to discourage the sharing of information. Healthcare providers (like the NHS) and emergency services inspired more trust in consumers across all age groups. While the younger generations tended to trust universities more, the older generation (55 years and above) trusted banks and credit companies more to handle their personal data ethically. What measures could companies take to begin building more trust with their consumer base? According to a 2020 survey, a ban on the sharing of customer data to third parties by companies would make the most difference. Not too far behind was making it a legal requirement for customers to be informed in the case of a data breach.

Online privacy in a pandemic

In light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the release of the NHS track and trace app in the UK, over half of those aged 35 to 54 years felt it was very important that any contact tracing app took civil liberties into account and would protect people’s privacy. This sentiment was echoed throughout all age groups. Despite an increasing openness toward data sharing, it is clear that for the majority of the UK public, a respect of privacy as well as transparency in the way their data is being used is paramount.

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UK data protection authority budget: 61m EUR

Share of UK internet users who always read the terms and conditions: 10%

Preferred consumer incentive for sharing personal data with UK companies: Financial rewards

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Largest fines issued for General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) violations as of July 2022 (in million euros)

Digital Privacy

Largest fines issued for violations of GDPR as of 2022

Thinking about the protection of your personal information, what would you say are your concerns?

Digital Privacy

Concerns regarding the protection of personal information in the UK 2021

For the personal information held about you by companies and organisations in the UK, which of the following rights are the most important to you?

Digital Privacy

Most important rights regarding personal data held by companies in the UK in 2021

Recommended statistics

Overview in Europe and the UK

Premium Statistic Budget of the European data protection authorities (DPAs) 2020, by country
Budget of the European data protection authorities (DPAs) 2020, by country
Budget of the European data protection authorities (DPAs) in 2020, by country (in million euros)
Premium Statistic Awareness of the right to access personal data at private companies in Europe 2019
Awareness of the right to access personal data at private companies in Europe 2019
Share of individuals in Europe aware of their right to access personal data at private companies as of October 2019, by country
Premium Statistic EU internet users who read the terms and conditions online 2019, by country
EU internet users who read the terms and conditions online 2019, by country
Share of internet users who read the terms and conditions when using online services in the European Union as of October 2019, by country

GDPR

Basic Statistic Largest fines issued for violations of GDPR as of 2022
Largest fines issued for violations of GDPR as of 2022
Largest fines issued for General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) violations as of July 2022 (in million euros)
Premium Statistic Europe: cases of non-compliance to GDPR 2019, by type
Europe: cases of non-compliance to GDPR 2019, by type
Number of cases of non-compliance to GDPR in Europe between May 2018 and February 2019, by type
Premium Statistic Awareness about GDPR in Europe 2019, by country
Awareness about GDPR in Europe 2019, by country
Share of individuals in Europe aware of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as of October 2019, by country
Premium Statistic GDPR compliance among European small businesses 2019
GDPR compliance among European small businesses 2019
Share of European small businesses compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2019
Premium Statistic GDPR compliance spending among European small businesses 2019
GDPR compliance spending among European small businesses 2019
Share of European small businesses spending on compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2019, by budget range
Premium Statistic Areas of investments for the GDPR compliance among UK companies 2019
Areas of investments for the GDPR compliance among UK companies 2019
Share of UK companies investing in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2019, by area of investment
Premium Statistic Share of websites with consent management platforms (CMP) in the UK 2019
Share of websites with consent management platforms (CMP) in the UK 2019
Share of websites with consent management platforms (CMP) in the UK in 2019, by adherence to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Consumer data and marketing

Premium Statistic Customer data initiatives of marketing organizations in the UK 2020
Customer data initiatives of marketing organizations in the UK 2020
Does your organizations currently or does it plan on introducing any of the following customer data initiatives?
Premium Statistic Most popular consent management systems used by marketing firms UK 2020
Most popular consent management systems used by marketing firms UK 2020
Which of the following channels/platforms does your current consent/preference management set-up integrate with?
Premium Statistic Methods currently used by marketing companies to collect customer data UK 2020
Methods currently used by marketing companies to collect customer data UK 2020
Which of the following methods does your company currently use to collect customer data?
Premium Statistic Reasons for inaccurate or invalid customer data according to UK marketing firms 2020
Reasons for inaccurate or invalid customer data according to UK marketing firms 2020
Reasons for inaccurate or invalid customer data according to marketing companies in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2020
Premium Statistic Sharing personal data: incentives for consumers in the UK 2019
Sharing personal data: incentives for consumers in the UK 2019
Consumer incentives for sharing personal data with companies in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2019*
Premium Statistic Types of personal data consumers would be most willing to sell to companies UK 2020
Types of personal data consumers would be most willing to sell to companies UK 2020
Personal data consumers would be most willing to share with companies for financial compensation in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2020, by data type
Premium Statistic UK consumers not willing to sell their personal data 2020, by age group
UK consumers not willing to sell their personal data 2020, by age group
Consumers unwilling to share data with companies for financial compensation in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2020, by age
Premium Statistic Share of UK consumers taking action to limit sharing personal data 2019, by age group
Share of UK consumers taking action to limit sharing personal data 2019, by age group
Sharing personal data: have you taken action over the last 12 months to limit the amount of data you share with companies?*
Premium Statistic Consumer distrust of data collection in the UK 2020, by company type
Consumer distrust of data collection in the UK 2020, by company type
Consumers' level of distrust regarding data collection by companies in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2020, by company type
Premium Statistic Consumer opinions on data use by companies in Ireland and the UK 2019
Consumer opinions on data use by companies in Ireland and the UK 2019
Consumer opinions on company use of customer data in Ireland and the United Kingdom (UK) in 2019

User awareness and concern

Basic Statistic Concerns regarding the protection of personal information in the UK 2021
Concerns regarding the protection of personal information in the UK 2021
Thinking about the protection of your personal information, what would you say are your concerns?
Basic Statistic Trust in organizations storing and using personal information in the UK 2017-2020
Trust in organizations storing and using personal information in the UK 2017-2020
How much trust and confidence do you have in companies and organizations storing and using your personal information?
Premium Statistic Trust in various organizations to use personal data ethically in the UK 2019, by age
Trust in various organizations to use personal data ethically in the UK 2019, by age
Which, if any, of the following, would you trust to use personal data about you ethically ?
Basic Statistic Most important rights regarding personal data held by companies in the UK in 2021
Most important rights regarding personal data held by companies in the UK in 2021
For the personal information held about you by companies and organisations in the UK, which of the following rights are the most important to you?
Basic Statistic Consumer understanding of personal data use by companies in the UK, 2021
Consumer understanding of personal data use by companies in the UK, 2021
Which of the following statements comes closest to your understanding of how your personal information is being used by companies and organizations in the UK?
Premium Statistic Reasons for low levels of trust in handling of personal data by companies UK 2021
Reasons for low levels of trust in handling of personal data by companies UK 2021
Main reasons for low levels of trust in the handling of personal information by companies in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2021
Basic Statistic Measures that would increase trust in UK companies handling personal data 2021
Measures that would increase trust in UK companies handling personal data 2021
Which of the following, if any, would increase your trust and confidence in how your personal information is used and made available by companies and organisations?
Premium Statistic Data which UK citizens do not believe social media companies are collecting in 2020
Data which UK citizens do not believe social media companies are collecting in 2020
Types of data that UK citizens do not believe social media companies are collecting in 2020

Spotlight: online privacy during the COVID-19 pandemic

Basic Statistic Cumulative downloads of the NHS COVID-19 app in England and Wales 2021
Cumulative downloads of the NHS COVID-19 app in England and Wales 2021
Cumulative downloads of the NHS COVID-19 app in England and Wales as of December 2021 (in millions)
Premium Statistic Public opinion on contact tracing in relation to privacy in the UK in 2020, by age
Public opinion on contact tracing in relation to privacy in the UK in 2020, by age
How important is it to you that any contact-tracing app in the UK takes account of civil liberties and protects people's privacy?
Premium Statistic COVID-19: Change in trust regarding the handling of personal data in the UK 2020
COVID-19: Change in trust regarding the handling of personal data in the UK 2020
Change in consumer trust since the COVID-19 lockdown regarding the storing and sharing personal information by companies in the United Kingdom (UK), in 2020
Premium Statistic Importance of open access to data about COVID-19 in the UK in May 2020
Importance of open access to data about COVID-19 in the UK in May 2020
How important is it to you that coronavirus data is openly available for you to check?
Premium Statistic Public opinion on government's data strategy in relation to COVID-19 in the UK 2020
Public opinion on government's data strategy in relation to COVID-19 in the UK 2020
What is your view on the government's national data sharing strategy in relation to COVID-19?

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