In this digital era, people don’t seem to be bothered by personal data tracking since it is now considered a part of life.

If someone walks closely behind us while we are out shopping and keeps a keen eye on our preferences and purchases, we’d almost certainly find it weird, and probably rather creepy. But when it happens online, we apparently don’t seem to care that much. In their recent global study, The Truth About Privacy, McCann Worldgroup have discovered that having a computer track the websites we visit in order to suggest products, services and brands that may interest us actually ranks amongst the least of our concerns when it comes to privacy issues that bother us the most. Many participants feel positive about Internet-based advertising, saying they would prefer to see ads that are targeted towards them and are of actual interest rather than random, irrelevant ads. In this age of digital data collection, most people are both aware and accepting of this practice, considering it to be a normal part of life these days. The study shows that people feel that their privacy is most violated when someone looks at their bank or credit card statement, when a friend or partner reads their emails without permission, or if someone reads their diary. “This is great consumer research and is a unique insight for digital marketers,” says Roch Berniquez, Vice-President, Digital Platforms at Marketel.