Today is Data Privacy Day, a day designed to raise public awareness of privacy and data protection issues. Microsoft is a leading supporter of the campaign and recently commissioned research to gauge public awareness of how location-based services work and how the data collected is used.
The vast majority (94%) of people who are aware of location-based services say they find these valuable, but more than half (52%) are concerned about the risks to their personal privacy.
The infographic below covers some of the issues highlighted in the research (click to enlarge):
And there’s a more detailed research report available here.
Video – Your location and privacy, what’s on your mind?:
My advice: For marketers looking to use location-based data to target customers, it’s worth thinking carefully about how your campaign will be perceived, especially if it’s not clear how you acquired and are using location data. Whether you’re thinking of pushing out Bluetooth messages to passing shoppers or are using Facebook’s new Sponsored Story ad format, having a solid understanding of public concern can help ensure your campaign gets off on the right foot.