– I was personally surprised at how extensive it is. And not least to what extent this data is combined across different services, says Galbo-Jørgensen.
The survey is based on what data has been collected about Danish users on five of the Danes’ favorite digital platforms. Among other things, Facebook, and when searching on Google.
The result is particularly relevant in a Danish context.
Denmark is the country in the EU where the largest part of the population uses social network services. In 2019, around 57 percent of all EU citizens between the ages of 16 and 74 used social networking services. In Denmark, the figure is 81 percent.
The platforms’ data collection has both advantages and disadvantages, the office manager believes. Particularly relevant advertisements can be an advantage.
– The data collection enables the services that some platforms offer, and it can provide more targeted advertising, which for some consumers can be an excellent thing.
The survey also shows that three out of four consumers are concerned about how the platforms use their personal data.
Claus Galbo-Jørgensen points out that several platforms collect data about the user in the physical world.
That kind of data collection has previously worried some users, he notes.
– The fact that the tracking is actually completely physical – how you are tracked, for example, if you go into a particular store – also surprises me.
The office manager hopes that the survey can create a greater awareness among Danish consumers about what data is being collected.
– And they can also use it to decide how much data the platforms should collect about themselves, says Claus Galbo-Jørgensen.