October 1 2024

Cohesity Study Finds Consumers Worldwide Criticize Companies’ Data Consumption and Demand Better Data Protection

The Majority of Consumers are Highly Critical of Ransom Payments and May Switch to the Competition if their Preferred Provider Fails to Protect their Data

SAN JOSE, Calif. – October 1, 2024 – New survey data from Cohesity, a leader in AI-powered data security, reveals that consumers surveyed worldwide are highly concerned about the information companies collect from them – especially when it`s used for artificial intelligence (AI). The overwhelming majority of respondents (73% in the UK, 81% in the US and 82% in Australia) criticized companies for collecting too much of their personal or financial data1.  And 9 out of 10 consumers are concerned that AI will impact how companies keep customer data secure. Meeting customers’ growing expectations for better protection of their sensitive information is now a business imperative, with consumers prepared to punish companies by switching providers for any loss of trust.

The survey of 6,000+ consumers worldwide polled assessments of the digital industry’s data practices. Alongside the criticism around companies’ hunger for data, the findings also spell out an unmet expectation for greater diligence from organizations to protect consumers’ personal information once obtained – as identified by 73% of respondents in the UK, 86% in the US, and 87% in Australia1.

Respondents aren’t just asking for a change – they are willing to change their preferred seller if they fall victim to a cyberattack and their data is compromised. A near consensus among users in all three countries (more than 90%) said they might stop doing business with a company if it were the victim of a cyberattack2,3.

“Consumers clearly understand that companies have a lot of catching up to do in the area of ​​data governance and security,” explains James Blake, Global Cyber ​​Security Strategist, Cohesity. “The hunger for AI is causing some businesses to skip threat modeling and due diligence on how their data will be exposed. Companies looking to use AI in-house must invest in the security and hygiene of their data to maintain cyber resilience in order to satisfy these consumers that are willing to vote with their purchases. Those looking to leverage the AI capabilities of suppliers must adopt a strong and proactive approach to third-party risk. Consumer trust is quickly lost, and competitors are always just a click away, so ensuring AI strategies don’t introduce additional risk to customer data is crucial.”

Most common consumer fears surrounding unregulated AI data collection

Companies around the world expect miracles from AI, but large amounts of data must be collected for these AI models to learn from. Often, this need for data is prioritized over responsible data collection and handling. Private users are, in turn, concerned with the lack of transparency from companies regarding their AI practices:

The expectation of greater transparency also applies to the common practice of sharing data with third-party providers:

Sanctions in the event consumer data is compromised

This clear call for more control, transparency, and protection around their data is largely motivated by respondents’ negative experiences. Unsurprisingly, most respondents are highly critical of buying access back to their compromised data – essentially fueling cyber criminals’ business model with fresh capital. 

“Paying a ransom rarely results in the recovery of all data. It brings its own logistical challenges and potential criminal liability for paying sanctioned entities – not to mention rewarding criminals”, explains James Blake, Global Cyber ​​Security Strategist, Cohesity. “It’s time for companies to really focus on aligning themselves with the best cyber resiliency vendors and end the cycle. This is where Cohesity can help.

About the research

The research included in this release was conducted by Censuswide, with 6002 Respondents in the UK, US, and Australia (Nat Rep) between 28.06.2024 – 05.07.2024. Censuswide abides by, and employs, members of the Market Research Society which is based on the ESOMAR principles.


1”Strongly agree” and “Somewhat agree” answers combined
2“Highly likely,” “Somewhat likely,” and “Maybe, it depends” answers combined
3“Highly” and “Somewhat” answers combined
4“Somewhat disagree,” “Strongly disagree” and “Neither agree nor disagree” answers combined

About Cohesity

Cohesity is a leader in AI-powered data security. Aided by an extensive ecosystem of partners, Cohesity makes it easier to secure, protect, manage, and get value from data – across the data center, edge, and cloud. Cohesity helps organizations defend against cybersecurity threats with comprehensive data security and management capabilities, including immutable backup snapshots, AI-based threat detection, monitoring for malicious behavior, and rapid recovery at scale. Cohesity solutions can be delivered as a service, self-managed, or provided by a Cohesity-powered partner. Cohesity is headquartered in San Jose, CA, and is trusted by the world’s largest enterprises, including 47 of the Fortune 100.

Media Contacts

Michael Piontek

Director, Cohesity Corporate Communications, EMEA
michael.piontek@cohesity.com
+49 (0) 1523 460 27 25

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