The U.S. Senate and FCC are changing rules about how service providers can utilize customer data, but that doesn’t mean pay-TV subscribers like the intrusion, especially of personalized ads targeting them based on individual information.
In fact, a new survey from Parks Associates finds that a whopping 59% of U.S. pay-TV subscribers are upset when advertisers use their personal data.
Also, some 40 percent are worried about safety and privacy.
The findings were announced Monday, just days after the FCC voted to suspend rules about broadband consumer privacy and the Senate passed a resolution allowing ISPs to sell consumer data without “opt-in” consumer consent.
“Privacy fears are a major factor in broadband consumers’ online media experiences,” said Glenn Hower, Senior Analyst, Parks Associates. “Advertisers have the most to gain by leveraging viewership data, and those advantages will only increase as they acquire more personal information such as search histories.”
To allay concerns, Parks Associates say advertisers and pay-TV providers “need to be transparent about their data collection and protection of consumers’ information. These efforts are important for pay-TV providers in particular as 34% of U.S. pay-TV subscribers indicate they trust an online video service more than they trust their current pay-TV provider.”
