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A spate of high-profile cyberattacks — on Sony Pictures Entertainment, HBO, Netflix and the Walt Disney Co. — have given the entertainment industry an image problem.
Consumers have little faith in the industry’s ability to safeguard their data or respect their privacy preferences, according to the newly released CIS: Protect Me report from PwC.
A mere 6 percent of those surveyed said they trusted Hollywood.
Jocelyn Aqua, a principal with PwC’s regulatory, privacy & cybersecurity practice, said banks and hospitals enjoy the highest level of consumer trust, followed by nonprofits. Only startups and advertising agencies fall lower on the trust scale than media and entertainment companies.
The industry’s well-publicized data breaches, which have disgorged confidential emails, performer salaries and business plans, or leaked unreleased films and television series, are only partly to blame, said Aqua. Consumers also are concerned about what entertainment companies do with the data gathered about their viewing habits.
Aqua said companies can begin to rebuild trust by being more open about how they use the personal data they collect, giving consumers the ability to opt-out, and being forthright about how they’re working to safeguard data — particularly after a cyber attack.
“Consumers should have the ability to turn off data collection if they’re uncomfortable with it,” said Aqua. “Having more control over what people are doing with your data gives people comfort that you’re taking their concerns seriously.”
PwC’s report is based on a nationally representative survey of 2,000 Americans over age 18 who were asked about their concerns regarding data security, cybersecurity, privacy, trust and regulation.
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