Half trust their data is safe

Just half of Europeans feel that their personal data is properly protected, according to a survey released today, the second annual Data Protection Day.

Launched last year by the Council of Europe and the European Commission (EC), such an event is timely given recent data breaches from the government and corporations. The date of the event commemorates the anniversary of the CoE Convention 108, a treaty signed by European countries in 1981 to protect the rights of individuals when it comes to their personal data being digitised.

The Eurobarometer survey found that 52 per cent of Europeans felt that personal data in their country was well-protected, but 82 per cent said awareness about data protection was low.

Three-quarters of respondents said they were worried about personal information left online, while over half said they trusted organizations such as medical services, insurance companies and financial institutions, as well as government bodies such as police and local authorities with their data. Less trusted were market research firms, non-profit organisations credit card agencies and travel companies.

EC Vice-President Franco Frattini said: "The internet, travel arrangements, health treatment, credit cards - the protection of personal data is important on every step of our daily lives. Each year advances in technology allow for increases in data sharing, which can assist in improving the lives of citizens including enhancing their security."

Frattini added: "In line with this, it is our resolve to ensure the sharing of data is harnessed in conformity with rules and laws laid down to ensure respect for the confidence of personal data. We therefore take this opportunity to highlight to all data handlers, data controllers and data providers the importance to all of us of data protection."

The survey also showed that most people agreed monitoring - of phone calls, credit use and travel data - could help enhance security.

"Data protection laws are designed to ensure that personal data is treated with the respect and care it deserves," Frattini said. "But legal rights and protections are only useful if people know that they exist, and how they can invoke their rights."

The event is also being marked in North America with a Data Privacy Day.