June 7th, 2023, Kineree Shah
In the realm of personal data security, video game platforms are currently situated near the bottom of the consumer trust spectrum. A YouGov survey, spanning 18 international markets, reveals subtle shifts in trust levels from 2022 to 2023. Approximately three in ten global consumers express trust in video game platforms to handle their personal data responsibly in 2023 (31%), reflecting a slight increase from 2022's figures (28%). However, half of consumers continue to express their distrust, showing no change since last year (51% in 2022 and 2023). For a deeper exploration of global consumer trust across various organizations, please refer to our related article.
In Asia, trust and distrust levels in video game platforms are generally a matter of split opinion. Close to two in five consumers in the UAE (44%), Indonesia (44%), and India (43%) expressed trust in video game platforms with their data in 2022. This trust has seen a slight increase in 2023 (50%, 48%, and 45% respectively). Nearly the same percentage of consumers in these markets say they do not trust these platforms with their personal data. China saw a four-percentage-point increase in trust since last year (34% in 2022 vs 38% in 2023). Despite this, the majority continue to express distrust (54% in 2022 and 2023). Most notably, Hong Kong experienced a 16-point increase in distrust—the largest jump among all markets surveyed (50% in 2022 vs 66% in 2023).
Australia demonstrates a significant increase in trust levels, from three in ten consumers in 2022 to four in ten consumers in 2023, signaling a substantial shift in consumer sentiment within this market.
Europe presents a mixed picture. Denmark saw a seven-point increase in distrust of video game platforms handling personal data (44% in 2022 to 51% in 2023), while Sweden saw a similar increase (42% in 2022 to 48% in 2023). Germany registered the highest level of distrust across the 18 markets surveyed, two points up on the previous year (69% in 2022 vs 71% in 2023). Italy (26% in 2022 to 28% in 2023) and Britain (19% in 2022 to 21% in 2023) saw marginal increases in trust of two points.
In North America, there has been a noteworthy increase in trust from the US, rising from one in five in 2022 (20%) to one in four in 2023 (25%). Similarly, in Mexico, trust has grown from just over one-third in 2022 (37%) to more than two-fifths in 2023 (43%). However, in Canada, trust remains relatively stable, with a slight increase year-on-year (24% in 2022 vs 26% in 2023).
These trends indicate that, while trust is gradually improving, the picture isn't uniform across all markets. The diverse landscape underscores the importance for video game platforms to understand the specific concerns and priorities of consumers in different regions, enabling them to effectively build and maintain trust.
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Methodology - YouGov Surveys: Serviced provide quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. The data is based on surveys of adults aged 18+ years in 18 markets with sample sizes varying between 512 and 2,007 for each market in 2023 and between 514 and 2,036 in 2022. Surveys were conducted online in February 2022 and March 2023. Data from each market uses a nationally representative sample apart from Mexico and India, which use urban representative samples, and Indonesia and Hong Kong, which use online representative samples. Learn more about YouGov Surveys: Serviced.